Jose Acevedo (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Jose Acevedo spent some time with Jose Rijo this week. Rijo had some advice for his fellow Dominican.

        “He told me to keep the ball down,” Acevedo said, “throw the first pitch for a strike and, if I get behind, to keep going after hitters.”

        Acevedo, the 23-year-old right-hander, followed those instructions perfectly Saturday in beating the Chicago Cubs 7-1 before a crowd of 32,547 at Cinergy Field.

        The victory was the first in the major leagues for Acevedo (1-1). Acevedo looked a little like Rijo in doing it. Acevedo sometimes trains at Rijo's complex in the Dominican Republic.

        “He's got a lot of experience,” Acevedo said. “He's a guy I listen to.”

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Kelly Stinnett is greeted after the first of his two homers. (Jeff Swinger photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

        Acevedo is a veritable sponge. Reds manager Bob Boone credited Acevedo's work with pitching coach Don Gullett for Acevedo's success Saturday. Acevedo credited Chattanooga pitching coach Mack Jenkins.

        Whoever it was, the Reds get credit for their fourth victory in five games.

        The Reds pounded out three home runs — two by Kelly Stinnett and one by Ken Griffey Jr. — in support of Acevedo.

        Acevedo limited the Cubs to one run on five hits. He struck out five and walked two.

        In this season of open auditions for the starting rotation, Acevedo made a very strong case for himself.

        “He looked like a real big-leaguer out there,” Reds manager Bob Boone.

Stinnett's second HR bounces off the top of the wall after bouncing off Sammy Sosa's glove. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        This was Acevedo's third start for the Reds since making the jump from Double-A Chattanooga. He hadn't made it out of the fourth inning in either of the first two. He allowed five runs in the first inning of his big-league debut. He entered Saturday with a 12.38 ERA.

        “I know now that I was pressing a little bit,” he said. “Today was no different than at Double-A. The same stuff.”

        Acevedo's and Gullett's plan was for Acevedo to rely more on his fastball, which topped out at 94 mph Saturday.

        “No doubt he has major-league stuff,” said Stinnett, who has caught all three of Acevedo's starts. “He was able to put his fastball right where he wanted it. That makes it fun.”

        Acevedo gave up a smash double to Eric Young on the first pitch of the game. Things didn't look any better when Corey Patterson beat out a bunt for a hit.

        Up came Sammy Sosa, the Dominican hero.

        “Sammy Sosa is a very good hitter,” Acevedo said. “But I try not to worry too much. I just threw the ball.”

        It worked. He got Sosa to fly out to left. Matt Stairs grounded out to get Young home. But Acevedo struck out Ron Coomer to end the inning.

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Sean Casey is greeted after scoring on Bill Selby's bases-loaded double. (Jeff Swinger photo) 600 | 800 | 1024

        The Reds tied it in their half of the first on Griffey's bomb to left-center — his fourth home run of the year.

        Stinnett made it 2-1 by hitting the first pitch of the Reds' second inning for his fifth home run.

        The Reds broke open the game with a five-run third inning. Dmitri Young, who had his consecutive-hit streak stopped at nine on the previous at-bat, started the inning with a single. Griffey and Sean Casey walked to load the bases.

        After Aaron Boone popped out, Bill Selby cleared the bases with a screamer down the left-field line.

        Stinnett made it 7-1 with his second home run of the day. The ball hit off the top of the wall in right field. Chicago starter Julian Tavarez (6-5) had given up only four home runs in 93 innings before allowing three in 2 2/3 innings to the Reds Saturday.

        “He was up in the zone,” Stinnett said. “He's usually a groundball pitcher.”

Ken Griffey Jr. watches his HR. (Jeff Swinger photo) | ZOOM |

        After the first inning, Acevedo faced 12 more batters before the Cubs got another hit. Only two other base runners would reach second against him, and both times it was with two outs.

        “He was very special,” Boone said.

        Acevedo had not pitched above Single-A before this year. He was 11-5 with a 3.89 ERA at Dayton last year.

        Saturday, Acevedo's cell phone kept ringing as he talked to the media after the game. First, it was Jenkins.

        “He's the one who helped me make the team here,” Acevedo said.

        If Acevedo keeps pitching the way he did Saturday, he may be with the team to stay.

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