Dante Bichette connects for three-run triple. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        It's almost laughable to think of the Reds as a contender in the National League Central, given their sub-.500 record, their 17-17 mark since the All-Star break and the 7 1/2-game bulge separating them from first-place St. Louis. But in one essential aspect, the Reds have positioned themselves to attempt the comeback they haven't sustained: Their starting pitching recently has been excellent.

        Steve Parris continued this trend in Cincinnati's 7-1 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Cinergy Field, allowing eight hits and the lone run in his 6 1/3 innings. Television replays showed that first-base umpire Tim Timmons was incorrect in ruling Pittsburgh's Jimmy Anderson safe on his seventh-inning bunt, which set up Jason Kendall's RBI single.

        Despite Denny Neagle's departure to the New York Yankees, Reds starters own a 14-10 record with a 3.62 ERA since the All-Star break. They've also compiled a 1.94 ERA in the last eight games.

Steve Parris agonizes after failing to make a putout on a bunt and losing his shutout. (Glenn Hartong photo) | ZOOM |

        Such effectiveness will be difficult to maintain as the season progresses, but that's the challenge the Reds face. If St. Louis plays barely below .500 (20-21) for the rest of the season to close at 87-75, the Reds (60-61) must win nearly two-thirds of their games, a 27-14 finish, to pull into a tie.

        The Reds have made this task appear less gargantuan, at least mentally, by telling themselves that trimming the Cardinals' division lead to three games entering the season-ending three-game series at St. Louis will suffice.

        “We'll all keep talking about that until we're mathematically out of it,” said right fielder Dante Bichette, who received a three-run triple when Pirates center fielder Adrian Brown misplayed his eighth-inning fly ball.

        The Reds know they'll soon be subtracted from the postseason equation unless they can duplicate Saturday's effort consistently.

Chris Stynes tags out John VanderWal. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        “I still think this team is really going to break out,” Parris said. “Hopefully the pitchers can keep going the way they've been going lately. If we can get it both (hitting and pitching) together, we can change the way things are going for the last month and a half.”

        Parris (7-14) has done his part. The right-hander won his second consecutive start, freezing his total of defeats at the major-league high he shares with Houston's Jose Lima and Minnesota's Joe Mays. Though his overall ERA of 4.78 remains high, he has posted a 2.31 figure in his last five outings.

        Parris insisted while his pitching hasn't necessarily improved during his turnaround — “I haven't had better stuff than I had earlier in the year,” he said — his luck has soared.

        Opposing hitters, he said, have been “hitting the ball right at guys and popping up some balls that earlier this year might have been hit out of the park. That's the breaks of the game right there. Fortunately, they're going my way.”

        A prime example against the Pirates occurred in the sixth inning, when John Vander Wal singled and Warren Morris walked with two outs. Pitching coach Don Gullett strolled to the mound to warn Parris of the danger he was courting. Enrique Wilson connected with Parris' next pitch — and lined it directly to shortstop Juan Castro.

Participate in our e-mail poll

Reds 7, Pirates 1 Box, runs Bichette sheds goat horns Five outs no sweat for Reyes Reds' 'Doc Hollywood' likes inside view

Grand opening for Paul Brown Stadium
Bengals 24, Bears 20
Warrick promises more leaps into crowd
Warrick familiar with reverse
Bengals finally capitalize in red zone
Players: Opening night 'electrifying'
Bears-Bengals Stats
Stadium chow gets standing ovation
SULLIVAN: Bengals give fans hope
DAUGHERTY: The Man focuses on The Game
BRONSON: Thank you, Mike Brown
List of 'firsts' at Paul Brown Stadium
Opening Game Notebook
UC defense dominates scrimmage
Steady day will put White on Olympic team
Five Questions with: TIM AUSTIN
IRL big draw for Kentucky Speedway
HOMER lineup could be better with Amazon
West Hi loses baseball coach
Glen Este trying to change image after ejections
Highlands survives scare from Trinity
Bellevue 60, Pike County 0
Kentucky football scores
Indiana football scores
Cincinnati prep results
N.Ky. prep results

• Return to Reds front page...