Wednesday, July 18, 2001
Tigers 3, Reds 1
School of hard knocks for Reitsma
By Chris Haft
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Chris Reitsma has gone winless in his last five starts while taking three defeats, including the Reds' 3-1 setback Tuesday night against the Detroit Tigers. Yet this adversity may help the 23-year-old rookie, whom the Reds are counting on to help stabilize their starting rotation in the near future.
Reitsma has toughened himself by repeatedly facing the opponent's No.1 starter. He's accustomed to the poor run support Cincinnati gave him in the series finale against Detroit. The Reds (35-58), who squandered a chance to climb out of last place in the National League Central Division, have scored two or fewer runs for him in six of his 20 starts.
“You can't get frustrated with that,” said Reitsma, who recorded his third quality start in four outings by allowing six hits and all of Detroit's runs in seven innings. “I have to look at my own performance and evaluate myself that way.”
Manager Bob Boone's evaluation of Reitsma (4-9) was positive, though the right-hander was outdone by yet another staff ace, Detroit's Jeff Weaver (9-8).
Said Boone of Reitsma: “This whole thing is a learning experience. He's battled
tooth and nail. He's done it a bunch of times. For me, he's having a good year. I'm very pleased with what he's doing.”
Nor did Boone complain much about the Reds' effort overall, though Weaver blanked them on two hits through seven innings and retired 18 consecutive batters at one juncture.
Cincinnati broke Weaver's spell in the eighth and scored its only run on pinch hitter Michael Tucker's bases-loaded sacrifice fly off reliever Danny Patterson. Dmitri Young and Aaron Boone then opened the Reds' ninth inning with opposite-field singles off Detroit closer Matt Anderson. But Anderson retired the next three hitters to seal his 11th save and second of this interleague series.
Reitsma encountered an other formidable foe — the weather. The game-time temperature of 87 degrees was uncomfortable enough, but the oppressive humidity, which reached a high of 83 percent Tuesday, worsened conditions.
“I've never thrown in anything like that,” Reitsma said. “A couple of pitches ... just slipped. The rosin bag was my friend tonight. I hardly ever go to the rosin bag, but tonight I had to do it. My hand was that sweaty.”
Weaver also felt the heat, saying excessive perspiration forced him to change his jersey and undershirt twice.
Still, Reitsma lapsed only in the second inning, when the Tigers scored twice, and the fifth, when a two-out, nobody-on uprising produced their final run.
“It was a night (when) I think I just had to battle,” Reitsma said.
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Tigers 3, Reds 1
