Saturday, May 26, 2001
Reds Notebook
Harnisch may return June 1
By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Right-hander Pete Harnisch threw off the mound for about five minutes Friday and was encouraged. “I think it could be two more times on the side and then go,” he said.
Harnisch will throw on the side again Sunday. If that and the following session go well, Harnisch could be back in the rotation at the beginning of the road trip, which starts June 1.
Harnisch has been on the disabled list with tendinitis in his right elbow. He was eligible to come off Wednesday.
ROSTER MOVE: The Reds optioned right-hander Jim Brower to Triple A Louisville and recalled left-hander Hector Mercado from Louisville after Friday's game.
Brower was 0-3 with 7.58 ERA in his last six appearances with the Reds.
BOONE TAKES GROUNDERS: Aaron Boone took ground balls for the first time since having surgery on his hand. It went well considering ... “It's like they took my hand away,” Boone said. “It's hard to do anything.”
The broken bone, which was removed, was in Boone's right hand. He was able to make a fairly tight fist Friday. He's scheduled to start tossing lightly Monday.
M*A*S*H UPDATE: Dmitri Young returned to the lineup after missing four straight starts with the bruised knee that was a result of his collision with Donnie Sadler. But Young left the game in the sixth inning after aggravating the injury. He was expected to have an MRI after the game.
Pokey Reese missed his third straight start with a bruised digital nerve in his right thumb. Sadler also was scratched with a sore right knee; an MRI was negative.
Reese entered the game as a pinch runner in the seventh and stayed in the game to play shortstop.
The ever-changing lineup had Brandon Larson and Bill Selby were batting fifth and sixth, respectively. If you added up their batting averages, you'd get .249. Larson entered Friday hitting .067. Selby was at .182.
CRITICAL STRETCH: Friday's game was the first of seven against the National League Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals over the next 11 days.
Obviously, the Reds, who fell 8 1/2 back after Friday's loss, could get buried.
“Everyone knows (how critical the games are),” Bob Boone said.
IN A PINCH: Jason larue's pinch-hit double in the eighth inning ended an 0-for-20 drought by Reds pinch hitters. It was the first pinch hit since May 7.
STAT OF THE DAY: That strange noise downtown Friday was fireworks. Alex Ochoa's leadoff home run Friday night was the first by a Red at Cinergy Field in 13 days. It was first leadoff home run for the Reds this year.
UP NEXT: RHP Elmer Dessens (3-2, 4.94 ERA) faces fellow right-hander Dustin Hermanson (5-1, 4.14) tonight at 7:05.
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Harnisch may return June 1
