The Reds' little hot streak lately did not hide one fact: They are still operating with a not-ready-for-big-time pitching rotation.

Dmitri Young is tagged out at home. (Craig Ruttle photos) | ZOOM |

        Brian Reith, one of four rookies in the Reds' rotation, got beat around by the Chicago Cubs 7-1 Friday night before 30,719 at Cinergy Field.

        The loss ended the Reds' three-game winning streak.

        Reith (0-6) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing five runs on 10 hits. In his three starts since being recalled for Triple-A Louisville, his ERA is 8.50 and he's allowed 27 hits in 18 innings.

        Today's starter, Jose Acevedo, another rookie, comes in 0-1 with a 12.38 ERA.

        There's a chance there could be a change in the rotation. Long relief man Jim Brower threw three innings of hitless relief Friday night. In 12 games since being recalled from Louisville, Brower is 2-2 with a 1.03 ERA.

Alex Ochoa makes a running catch on the warning track. | ZOOM |

        “I think every day about putting Brower in the rotation,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “He's done a terrific job in the role he's in. I love him in that role.”

        But Boone also hates to see a prospect like Reith get pounded.

        “At this level, you get shaken,” Boone said. “You're 0-6, you start to wonder. But ultimately what's done will be what's best for Brian Reith.”

        The Reds' hitters, who had cranked out an average of 6.5 runs a game while winning six of eight, looked very meek against former Red Jason Bere (5-4).

        Four of the Reds' eight hits belonged to Dmitri Young, who has nine hits in his last nine at-bats. Young's home run in the ninth — his seventh of the year — allowed the Reds to avoid being shut out for fourth time in the 32 games since the streak of 208 games without a shutout ended.

Brian Reith composes himself after Gary Matthews' HR in the first inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        It was the third complete game of Bere's career and first since June of 1995.

        Friday, Bere walked none and struck out five.

        “He was nasty,” Sean Casey said. “He has three pitches and all were really good. He was throwing them all for strikes. He shut us down. I don't think a lot of teams would have hit him tonight.”

        The Cubs took a 1-0 lead in the first on Gary Matthews Jr.'s eighth home run of the year.

        It made it 42 out of 46 games in which the Reds have allowed at least one home run.

        The Cubs added another run in the third on Matt Stairs' RBI double.

Ken Griffey Jr. flips his batting helmet after hitting into a double play. | ZOOM |

        The Reds ran their way out of a rally in the fourth. Young led off with a single. Ken Griffey Jr. blooped a double in left field. When the throw to try to get Griffey at second got by Eric Young, Dmitri Young broke for home. Stairs retrieved the ball and threw Young out at the plate easily.

        Casey grounded out and Boone struck out to end the inning.

        “That was our chance,” manager Bob Boone said. “That was a big swing. We were still in the game.”

        Sosa made it 3-0 with his 26th home run of the year in the fifth. It was a rocket, clearing the new wall in left field. It traveled an estimated 438 feet — the longest long ball hit at Cinergy this year.

        It was the 11th home run Reith has given up in the eight starts for the Reds. That's an indication of how much the Reds have rushed the 23-year-old right-hander. In 28 minor-league starts last year, he allowed nine home runs.

        “I'm learning,” Reith said. “I'm having some growing pains.”

Griffey throws the ball after Ochoa falls. | ZOOM |

        The Reds are probably going to have to live with those pains. Every prospect close to being ready is already up.

        “We've got those four young kids,” Boone said. “We're going to have to be patient. They're going to make mistakes.”

        Other than the fizzled threat in the fourth, the Reds were not doing much against Bere. They went down 1-2-3 in three of the first five innings.

        Reith allowed back-to-back singles to start the sixth. He was lifted after Bere sacrificed the runners to second and third.

        “(Reith) struggled,” Boone said. “He didn't locate his pitches well. All the big hits came on mistakes.”

        Scott Sullivan took over for Reith and allowed a two-run double to Eric Young. After getting Matthews on a groundout, Sullivan intentionally walked Sosa. The Reds then brought in left-hander Justin Atchley to face Stairs.

        He promptly doubled off the black screen in dead center field. That made it 7-0.

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