Fan shows displeasure with General Manager Jim Bowden. (Ernest Coleman photo) | ZOOM |

        Rarely have the Reds been so eager to turn the page in their calendars. They concluded the worst May in franchise history Wednesday at Cinergy Field, collecting just five hits in a 3-1 loss to the Chicago Cubs.

        Cincinnati posted a 6-22 record in the month, exceeding — if that's the proper term — the 1931 club's May mark of 8-21. The fifth-place Reds fell to 20-32 overall, 11 1/2 games behind the first-place Cubs in the National League Central Division.

        The Reds' offensive futility in this game typified their performance for the entire month, which ends with today's scheduled off day.

        “It was a lot of the same — the same thing we've seen day in, day out,” manager Bob Boone said.

        With Barry Larkin and Aaron Boone joining Ken Griffey Jr. on the injured list for much of the month, Cincinnati hit only .222 in May, compared with the .293 average they recorded while finishing 14-10 in April. Reds batters amassed almost as many strikeouts (205) as hits (206) during the month.

        Cincinnati has gone 56 innings without hitting a home run since Alex Ochoa went deep in the first inning of the opening game of six-game homestand last Friday. Not surprisingly, the Reds rank last in the NL with 39 home runs.

        Unlike some other Cinergy crowds, Wednesday's gathering of 20,062 was mostly polite. But it did include a man who was obviously unhappy with the Reds' general manager.

        Before the bottom of the third inning, the fan walked down an aisle of field-level seats to the right of the third-base dugout and brandished a sign reading, “Fire Jim Bowden.”

        The fan was quickly escorted from the front row of the field-level seats, but he accomplished his purpose. Sitting two rows behind the Reds' dugout, in full view of the sign, was Carl Lindner, the team's chief executive.

Reds end month in dis-May Cubs 3, Reds 1 Kremchek says he underestimated Griffey's injury Griffey, Harnisch improved Elder grad fills in for Reyes Update on other injured Reds Sosa's homer keeps Cubs rolling Reds box, runs

Scott arrives at Bengals' workouts
Injury forces Pickens' retirement
Xavier adds final assistant coach
Crable takes Moeller torch
SULLIVAN: Another challenge for Tiger
Memorial always memorable to Woods
Local golfer aims to follow Woods' lead
Course opens at River's Bend
Bonds continues HR assault
Olympics bid due on Friday
Hamilton baseball team faces experienced foe
Hamilton sets sights on softball championship
State baseball schedule
State softball schedule
State track schedule
Kentucky tennis tournament preview
N.Ky. baseball highlights
N.Ky. baseball schedule
N.Ky. softball highlights
Ouzts still 1 shy of 4,000 victories
Top Ohio prep QB chooses Ohio State

• Return to Reds front page...