Adam Dunn gets a pat on the head from Aaron Boone after his ninth-inning HR. (Michael E. Keating photos) | ZOOM |

        Take two strikes, then hit the third one to right. Adam Dunn worked that Knothole adage to perfection in the ninth inning Thursday afternoon, taking two strikes on the outside corner and then smoking the third one (middle away and slightly up) into the scaffolding of the new ballpark beyond Cinergy Field's double-decked right-centerfield wall.

        “That one felt good — I finally hit one solid,” said Dunn, whose two-run homer keyed a five-run Reds' rally that barely fell short in a 6-5 loss to the Cubs.

        Only about a third of the business-day special crowd of 19,947 was still around to see Dunn's majestically high homer and Wilton Guerrero's three-run tracer over the left-field wall moments later before Ken Griffey Jr. struck out to end the game.

Ken Griffey Jr. strikes out to end the game. | ZOOM |

        It was the Reds' 50th home loss, dubious since it left them a symmetrically inept 25-50 (.333) at Cinergy, the worst home record in the majors and on pace to shatter the franchise record for home losses (28-51) by the 1937 Reds. Six home games remain.

        If the Reds lose them all, it would border on world-class lousy.

        That's because 56 home losses would be only two short of the National League worst-ever 1962 New York Mets (22-58). That team inspired a best-selling book, Can't Anybody Here Play This Game? titled from manager Casey Stengel's famous quote.

Jim Brower reacts to Fred McGriff's 3-run HR. | ZOOM |

        Once again the Reds hitters turned a journeyman opposing pitcher into Walter Johnson, made worse by the fact Jason Bere (10-9) is a former Red. He pitched shutout ball for seven innings.

        Everywhere Cubs fans are rejoicing — the Cubbies are only 2 1/2 games back in the NL wild-card race, and they still have three games left with the Reds in the season's final week.

        The Reds came into the game in a severe power funk, with their two top sluggers struggling mightily: Griffey Jr., homerless in 58 consecutive at-bats (he lengthened that Thursday with a single in five at-bats), and Dunn, homerless in 50 ABs before the ninth.

        Was Dunn pressing?

        “Probably a little,” he said. “I really haven't been swinging the bat. I'd see a pitch, and say, "That's a good pitch to hit,' and then I'd let it go. I've been doing that a lot lately. I don't know why. Good things happen when you swing it.”

E-Sammy: Sammy Sosa closed his glove before the ball hit it, allowing Corky Miller's fly ball to drop in the fifth inning. | ZOOM |

        Should Sean Casey (13 HRs, .318) be picking up the homer slack?

        “I've tried that three times and I think I've wound up hitting .150 each time for about a three-week stretch,” Casey said. “I'm going to hit my share (he hit 20 HRs last year, and 25 in '99). I just haven't hit that many this year, but we've got some games left.”

        He believes open-ended Cinergy is not quite so friendly as old Cinergy in right- and left-center.

        “I've hit some balls this year in this new park that have just died,” he said. “Balls that were gone the last two or three years are either going off the wall or (getting caught). I got robbed one time, (when it) would've gone 440 (feet), off the top of the Black Monster. What are you gonna do? That's not a home run? I could probably name five or six woulda-shoulda-coulda's, but I can't concern myself with that.”

        He believes he's living up to his “gap to gap” billing: “I'd be more concerned if I had only 20 doubles instead of (39),” he said.

        He agreed with the premise that a team with Griffey Jr. and Dunn can still flourish with corner infielders who hit 20-25 homers apiece. Everybody would like to see what Aaron Boone could do in an injury-free season. Last year, Boone hit 12 homers in only 291 at-bats; this year, 14 in 369. (Casey: 13 HRs/509 ABs.)

        “We've got two guys who are going to hit 40 to 50 (homers),” Casey said. “My thing is RBIs. I think the biggest stat is driving in runs. I have 87, and hopefully I have a chance to get 100. I think that's more important than a guy who hits 40 homers and drives in 60.”

        He's 27 and getting stronger.

        “I think I'm capable of hitting 35 homers,” he said.

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