Friday, June 01, 2001
Cardinals sticking with Benes in rotation
By R.B. Fallstrom
AP Sports Writer
ST. LOUIS — Despite a 6.92 ERA, Andy Benes' spot in the St. Louis Cardinals' rotation isn't in jeopardy.
“He's just got to fix it,” manager Tony La Russa said Thursday. “He's better than that and we need him to be better than that. This isn't the first outing where he struggled.”
Benes lasted 3 2-3 innings Wednesday night, allowing nine runs (six earned) on 10 hits in an 11-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers.
“He got out of whack,” La Russa said. “The ball was just laying up there — 'hit me, hit me, hit me.”'
On the other hand, Benes (3-4) had a season-best eight strikeouts. He struck out the side on 10 pitches in the first inning.
“You strike out eight in 3 2-3 innings, there must be something good about your stuff,” pitching coach Dave Duncan said. “But he got some balls up and they didn't miss them.”
Benes is scheduled to pitch againstg the Reds Monday.
Benes said the Brewers capitalized on every mistake he made.
“They're an aggressive swinging team and I threw a lot of strikes, a lot of bad strikes,” Benes said. “I either threw the ball in a really good location or a really bad location.”
Six innings is Benes' longest outing of the year. The Cardinals don't think his surgically repaired right knee is a factor.
“His legs are stronger now than before he had the surgery, a lot stronger,” Duncan said. “Only he can tell you whether or not he was locked in and really focused the way he should be focused.
“It's hard to explain, how can you look so dominant on one hitter and so bad on the next?”
Reds Stories
Bengals cut Jones
Graduating McIntosh leaves Xavier
Woods, Garcia lurking in Memorial
SULLIVAN: Verplank has case for cart
Memorial Notebook
Ouzts rides to 4,000th career win
Page needs more surgery
CCD streaks into state baseball semis
Hamilton loses baseball semifinal
Hamilton a win away from softball title
State boys track preview
State girls track preview
State softball schedule
State track schedule
State baseball schedule
N.Ky. baseball highlights
N.Ky. baseball schedule
N.Ky. softball schedule
N.Ky. tennis highlights
Kentucky tennis tournament
Ky. boys track preview
Ky. girls track preview
• Return to Reds front page...
Cardinals sticking with Benes in rotation 
