Chris Reitsma shows his disgust after Jim Thome's fifth-inning single. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        Those hoping the Reds' second half won't be as bad as the first could get their wish. Maybe it'll be worse.

        Thursday night's post-All-Star break opener sunk the Reds further into last place. They remained stagnant offensively in their fourth straight loss, a 7-0 setback against the Cleveland Indians. It was the first shutout recorded by either team in the interleague series' 22-game history.

        The rousing cheers for the visitors from the underwhelming Cinergy Field crowd of 28,816 made it difficult to gauge which team controlled fan sentiment. But there was no doubt which club dominated the action.

        Cincinnati (33-55) mustered six hits in seven innings off Cleveland fireballer Bartolo Colon while dropping a season-high 1 1/2 games behind fifth-place Pittsburgh in the National League Central Division.

Juan Gonzalez homered off Reitsma in the fifth. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        The Reds have been blanked for 15 consecutive innings and have scored in only two of their last 24 innings. Their struggles are widespread:

        • Alex Ochoa, robbed of a hit with the bases loaded and two outs in the seventh inning, is in an 0-for-28 funk.

        • All-Star first baseman Sean Casey is batting .268 at home.

        • Ken Griffey Jr. has three hits in his last 28 at-bats (.107).

        • Jason LaRue and Pokey Reese each rapped two hits, interrupting tailspins of 4-for-35 and 8-for-53, respectively.

Omar Vizquel jumps over Aaron Boone and throws to first to complete a double play. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Special assignment scout Woody Woodward of the Seattle Mariners, who have sought another potent bat, was on the premises. It's safe to say the Reds didn't dazzle him.

        Colon (7-7) was at least partly responsible for perpetuating Cincinnati's slump, striking out six. The right-hander's fastball reached 99 mph as he improved to 6-1 with a 2.91 ERA on the road.

        “At times, he was just overpowering,” said Casey.

        Said Griffey: “When a guy throws from the mid-90s to 102 ... What was his slowest fastball tonight?”

        But Reds manager Bob Boone indicated his hitters should have had a little more success.

        “Colon had it juiced up pretty good, but he threw an awful lot of fastballs we didn't hit,” Boone said.

        Luck also turned against the Reds.

Roberto Alomar slides past Jason LaRue in the ninth. (Gary Landers photo) | ZOOM |

        Ochoa's seventh-inning woe was a prime example. With two outs, LaRue and Reese singled to prolong the inning. Pinch hitter Michael Tucker walked to load the bases.

        Ochoa then grounded a two-strike pitch up the middle. But Roberto Alomar, Cleveland's magnificent second baseman, dove to snare the ball. While still outstretched on the infield dirt, the eight-time Gold Glove Award winner flipped the ball to shortstop Omar Vizquel for the inning-ending forceout.

        With nobody out and Dmitri Young on first base in the second inning, Casey smoked a line drive to right-center field that briefly appeared bound for extra bases until Kenny Lofton ran it down. Aaron Boone singled before LaRue grounded into a double play.

        “Those things happen,” Casey said. “You're talking about Kenny Lofton, who's been one of the best center fielders for a long time, and Roberto Alomar, who's probably the best player in the game right now. It seems like that guy makes plays whenever he wants to.”

        Luck delivered the Reds a parting shot. With two outs in the ninth, LaRue drove reliever Danys Baez's 2-2 pitch off the top of the left-field wall. It caromed upward before dropping onto the outfield grass for a double. Had the ball traveled a fraction of an inch higher, LaRue would have had a home run and the Reds would have avoided the shutout.

        Reds starter Chris Reitsma (4-8) couldn't match his performance at Cleveland on June 10, when he worked 7 innings in Cincinnati's 9-3 victory. Reitsma surrendered six runs and 10 hits in five innings this time, yielding eight of those hits to the fourth through seventh hitters in Cleveland's order.

        Indians cleanup batter Jim Thome (3-for-4) opened the scoring in the second inning with his 27th home run, his third of the season against Cincinnati.

        “They don't have one of the best batting averages in the majors (.293) for nothing,” Reitsma said. “When you don't have your best stuff against these guys, you have to catch some breaks, and I didn't do that,” Reitsma said.

        "I accept responsibility. I didn't throw the ball very well.”

Indians 7, Reds 0 Reds attendance off 21 percent Seattle GM opens old wounds for Griffey Indians' fans worry they'll never win Series Indians get encouraging sign from Colon Rocker gets OK to rock Griffey Sr. joins Dunn fan club Boone: Larkin's injury hurt most Reds box, runs

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