Sunday, July 23, 2000
Reds 5, Diamondbacks 3
Dessens 3-0 in Neagle's slot
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
When the Reds traded Denny Neagle at the All-Star Break, it was widely regarded as the equivalent of raising a big white flag above the Cinergy Field. But a funny thing happened on the way to the surrender: The Reds started playing pretty well, and the St. Louis Cardinals started playing pretty poorly.
Thanks to their 5-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday, the Reds are only five games behind St. Louis in the National League Central.
“Five games out. That's a pennant race where I come from,” right fielder Dante Bichette said.
The Barry Larkin saga got the big headlines over the weekend, but the Reds managed to take two of three from the Diamondbacks, who have the second best record in the NL.
The Reds (50-48) are as close to the Cardinals, who lost to Houston Sunday,
as they've been since June 15. What's more, the Reds are playing well. They are 7-4 since the Neagle trade. The Reds are 10-5 since July 5 when the Cards' won two straight from the Reds to go up a season-high 10 games.
“You knew the Cardinals were going to hit a bad streak,” Bichette said. “We had to be ready for it.”
The Reds appear ready.
Elmer Dessens, who replaced Neagle in the rotation, won his third straight start Sunday. So if you look at it that way, the Neagle trade has had no impact on the team since the Reds are 3-0 on the days Neagle would have pitched.
Dessens equalled a career-high by going 7 1/3 innings. He allowed three runs on eight hits. He struck out a career-high five and walked walked runs on eight hits. He struck out a career-high five and walked only one.
“He might being surprising a lot of people,” left fielder Dmitri Young said, “but not me. I faced in him in the Mexican Leauge in '95. He has nasty stuff. You've got to pick your spots against him.'
Dessens, who entered the year with a 2-8 lifetime record, has tripled his win total this year. He could this year's Steve Parris or Ron Villone, who despite very shaky previous results won 11 and nine games for the Reds last year.
“This is like a dream come true,” said Dessens, who pitched Japan last year.
Dessens is a sinkerball pitcher content to let the other guys hit the ball.
“He gives up hits,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “But he doesn't get hurt because he doesn't walk anyone.”
The Reds are starting to hit like a team that doesn't need great pitchi ng every game.
Young got the offense started a solo home run in the second. The green-seat shot to was Young's 11th of the year.
Bichette made it 3-0 with a two-run shot, his 15th, to center in the fourth. Bichette hit a ball on the red seats Friday and one into the yellow Saturday, but both were just foul.
Bichette, Young and Casey -- the 4-5-6 hitters -- are all on tears. Bichette extended his hitting streak to 17 games. He's hitting .352 with three home runs and 11 RBI during the streak.
Young has a 10-game hitting streak. He's hitting .463 with two HRs and 10 RBI over the 10 games.
Casey, who did not play Sunday, has a 15-game hitting streak. He's hitt ing .421 with three HRs and 12 RBI in the streak.
After rough starts, Young and Bichette are hitting .300, Casey is at .283.
“It's the first time we're all hot together,” Bichette said. “That's potent when you get guys down in the lineup going. This more like the lineup we thought we had coming out of spring training.”
The Reds were certainly expected to contend then. Maybe they still will.
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