Pete Harnisch reacts after Javy Lopez doubled off the CF fence. (Michael E. Keating photo) | ZOOM |

        Pete Harnisch felt his six-inning outing represented progress.

        Cincinnati's Opening Day starter had complained of faulty pitching mechanics during spring training. But he felt mostly comfortable while yielding four runs (three earned) and six hits. Harnisch threw 73 pitches, including 48 strikes.

        “Things are going in the right direction,” Harnisch said. “I started really strong. My fastball was excellent and my location was really good.”

        Locked in a 1-1 tie through four innings, Harnisch allowed a run in the fifth inning after walking No.8 hitter Rico Brogna and opposing pitcher John Burkett. Harnisch then yielded a pair of sixth-inning runs, including Andruw Jones' homer.

        By then, Harnisch said, he had begun overthrowing somewhat.

        “Opening Day is never an easy day to pitch,” said Harnisch, who appeared in his fifth. “It's tough to keep your emotions under control, because it's a very pumped-up crowd and a pumped-up team.”

        GLOVE MAN: Right fielder Alex Ochoa made eye-opening catches in the first three innings: On Rafael Furcal's warning-track drive to open the game; on B.J. Surhoff's sinking liner and on Javy Lopez's foul fly near the corner.

        Ochoa was fully aware of the physical risk he would have taken with the Surhoff catch in previous years. Ochoa slid on the grass to snare the ball, which would have been more painful on AstroTurf.

        “It would have left me with a big old cherry,” said Ochoa, pointing to his left leg. “Like I've said, if it's grass, you can be a little bit more aggressive.”

        YARNALL EXPORTED: Left-hander Ed Yarnall, one of the four prospects the Reds received from the New York Yan kees in the Denny Neagle trade July 12, was sold to the Orix Blue Wave of the Japanese Pacific League for $300,000.

        It marked the second year in a row that Cincinnati peddled a pitcher to the Far East. Last March 28, they sold right-hander Eddie Gaillard to the Chunichi Dragons of the Japanese Central League.

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