If Chris Stynes finishes this season with 400 at-bats — a reachable total, since he already has 346 — that would be only 60 fewer than he accumulated in his previous two seasons. So he can't be blamed if he feels fatigued.

        “This has been a much more exhausting year than I've had in a long time, as far as how much I've played,” Stynes said Saturday. “I'm very tired.”

        Stynes didn't look at all weary against the Milwaukee Brewers. He stroked a first-inning RBI double and lashed a two-run, sixth-inning homer off the left-field foul screen to help the Reds prevail, 7-3.

        It was another productive day for Stynes, who would rank among the National League's top 10 hitters if he had enough plate appearances to qualify for the statistical leaderboards. Stynes has hit safely in 59 of his 74 starts, most of them coming after third baseman Aaron Boone suffered his season-ending knee injury shortly before the All-Star break.

        “I definitely have a better feeling going into the winter than last year,” Stynes said.

        ONE-SHOT DEAL: To Reds manager Jack McKeon, there's nothing new about St. Louis using Mark McGwire for one at-bat in cameo starting appearances.

        “I used to do that all the time with (owner) Charlie Finley in Oakland,” said McKeon.

        At Finley's behest, McKeon would save the leadoff spot for one of his speedier runners — who basically had no other skills — then replace him once the team went on the field.

        Friday, McGwire blasted an eighth-inning home run as a pinch hitter to break a 2-2 tie against Chicago. The flaw in using the near-immobile McGwire, who's suffering from bad knees, is that the Cardinals automatically would have to use a pinch runner — thus wasting an extra player — if he were to draw a walk.

        So will McKeon order his hurlers to pitch to McGwire or walk him intentionally in the season-ending series at St. Louis?

        “That's tough,” McKeon said. “The Cubs pitched to him. But where the heck are they going (in the standings)? You have to see the circumstances. Who's following him? How many outs are there?”

        REPEAT FOR REESE?: As managers and coaches around both leagues contemplate their Gold Glove Award votes, it's anybody's guess whether Reds second baseman Pokey Reese will earn the honor for a second consecutive year.

        Reese has 14 errors, one fewer than he committed in the previous two seasons. By his own admission, he hasn't performed up to his standards. Reese attributed his miscues to “stupid mistakes, holding the ball when I'm throwing, stuff like that.”

        Lately, however, Reese's dazzling form has been particularly evident. When this was suggested to him, he grinned and rapped his right hand against a wooden panel in his locker.

        “I think if you asked him, he would probably say he had a "down' year defensively,” Reds right-hander Steve Parris said. “But his down year could be the best in the league. Nobody gets to some of the balls they've given him errors on.”

        If Reese doesn't win the award again, he'd like to see it go to New York's Edgardo Alfonzo. “He deserves to win it,” Reese said. “He's been playing great all year.”

        UP NEXT: Pete Harnisch (7-6), who has won four consecutive decisions, will oppose Milwaukee's John Snyder (3-9) in today's series finale.

Reds 7, Brewers 3 Box, runs Kroger pulls Griffey cereal box Stynes not used to such a workout

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