Monday, July 23, 2001
Rain delay bothers both starters
The Associated Press
MIAMI — A.J. Burnett wasn't happy about his command or his pitch count. He was just glad to win.
Burnett won his third straight start and the Florida Marlins had 15 hits Sunday as they defeated the Reds 11-7.
Burnett (8-5) allowed four runs and eight hits in five innings. He struck out a season-high eight, but threw 110 pitches in his shortest outing since working 3 1-3 innings in a loss at Philadelphia on June 30.
“I'll take it,” Burnett said. “I battled and I kept my team in it. We came out on top. There is no excuse for throwing 110 pitches in five innings. That's a lot.”
Charles Johnson, Dave Berg, Derrek Lee and Eric Owens each had two RBIs for Florida, 8-3 since the All-Star break. Luis Castillo and Mike Lowell had three hits apiece.
The game was delayed 43 minutes in the top of the first because of rain.
“A.J. was throwing good,” Marlins manager Tony Perez said. “Then there was the delay. When you sit that long, it's hard to come back.”
Chris Reitsma (4-10) gave up seven runs — five earned — and eight hits in 2 2-3 innings as Cincinnati lost for the 15th time in 19 games.
“The rain delay hurt me,” Reitsma said. “I didn't feel the same afterward. I had to warm up all over again, but that's no excuse.”
”(Reitsma) didn't put the ball where he wanted to,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “His arm speed was slow on the changeup.”
Cincinnati had 13 hits, but made three errors. The Reds also had two wild pitches, leading to three unearned runs, and a passed ball.
Aaron Boone's two-run homer put the Reds ahead in the second, but Florida took a 4-2 lead in the bottom half on Johnson's two-run double, Berg's RBI double and Castillo's run-scoring single.
The Reds intentionally walked Marlins All-Star outfielder Cliff Floyd twice, the second time with the score 11-4.
“They are basically scared of Cliff,” Lowell said. “I would be too, the way he's swinging the bat.”
Floyd extended his hitting streak to 12 games, going 1-for-3 with a single. He scored twice.
“I believe I'm going to get a hit every time I step in the batter's box,” Floyd said. “With Mikey hitting behind me and going 3-for-5 every day, they won't continue to walk me. They'll try to get me out.”
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Rain delay bothers both starters