Known lovingly to his teammates as “Big Sweat,” Dennys Reyes could have been excused for being drenched in perspiration after Saturday's 7-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates.

        After all, it had been awhile since Reyes pitched so long.

        Reyes pitched 1 2/3 perfect innings, his longest stint since a two-inning outing June 18 at San Diego. The left-hander had faced only one batter in each of his previous three outings, retiring each of them.

        “In his defense, he could have used more work,” Reds manager Jack McKeon said. “But some (opportunities) were in critical situations when we couldn't use bases on balls.”

        Erratic control has indeed plagued Reyes, who has issued 24 walks in 35 innings spanning 47 games. Of course, this leads to the vicious circle McKeon cited: Reyes' wildness stems from not pitching enough, but he'll never refine his stuff unless he appears more often.

        That could happen soon.

        “I hope that's a real boost for his confidence,” McKeon said after Reyes worked out of a two-on, one-out jam in the seventh inning and sailed through the eighth.

        Reyes, who has stranded his last seven inherited runners, has tried to keep opponents guessing with his deliveries.

        “My slider has been working really well,” he said. “And I've been able to locate my fastball at the right times.”

        ACHES & PAINS: Shortstop Barry Larkin (left knee), second baseman Pokey Reese (left hamstring) and left fielder Dmitri Young (right shoulder) sat out Saturday's game with their respective ailments.

        McKeon said that Larkin, who missed five games between Aug. 5-9 with a mildly sprained medial collateral ligament in his knee, was “hurting a little bit” after Friday night's game. “This will give his legs a chance to rest,” said McKeon. Larkin needs one hit to reach 2,000 for his career.

        Reese was scratched for the second day in a row after being in McKeon's original lineup. Young pinch-hit Friday night and was available to do so again Saturday.

        Brian Hunter replaced Young and made only his second start since being acquired from Colorado on Aug.6. Juan Castro filled in at shortstop, while Chris Sexton made his first start as a Red at second base.

        ETC.: Mark your calendars now for Tuesday, April 3. That's when the Reds are scheduled to open the 2001 season at Cinergy Field against Pittsburgh.

        • Saturday's paid attendance of 34,370 enabled the Reds to clear the 2 million mark in their 61st home date, the fastest they have reached that figure. With a total attendance of 2,030,507, the Reds have averaged 33,287 per game at Cinergy Field.

        • Ken Griffey Jr. is hosting 75 children and 25 chaperones this weekend from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Cincinnati, Orlando and Seattle.

        • Griffey's 1-for-3 afternoon lifted his batting average to a season-high .253. The center fielder has hit safely in 16 of his last 17 games, batting .318 in that stretch.

        • Umpire Terry Craft, who missed Friday night's game because of illness, remained at Good Samaritan Hospital to undergo stress tests.

        Scott Packard joined the umpiring crew to replace Craft.

        • Pittsburgh third baseman Aramis Ramirez suffered a bruise on his left hand, left the game and underwent a bone scan after being hit by a Steve Parris pitch in the second inning.

        • Pirates center fielder Adrian Brown, who misjudged Dante Bichette's eighth-inning, three-run triple, suffered bruises on his face after crashing to the turf.

        Brown fell after he dashed in for the ball and suddenly had to change his direction after realizing the ball was sailing over his head.

        • Pittsburgh owns a 12-26 record in day games.

        • Eric Glaser, a 22-year-old Boston Red Sox farmhand from Fort Thomas, Ky., pitched a no-hitter Friday night as the Single-A Augusta Greenjackets defeated the Hagerstown Suns 3-0.

        UP NEXT: Elmer Dessens (5-3), the second ex-Pirate in a row to start for the Reds, opposes Pittsburgh's Jose Silva (7-7) in today's series finale.

        Dessens has never faced the Pirates, for whom he pitched from 1996-98. He was 2-8 with a 6.12 ERA in 61 outings for Pittsburgh, making all but eight of those appearances in relief.

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