SARASOTA, Fla. — As if on cue, the Reds hit.

        Wednesday was the day Reds manager Bob Boone long ago designated to start playing it “straight,” meaning playing to win. The Reds did win Wednesday, beating the Texas Rangers 5-3 at Ed Smith Stadium, to break a six-game losing streak.

        The reason the Reds won is they hit. The Reds averaged 2.3 runs during the six-game skid. Wednesday, they had four runs after two innings.

Sean Casey (right) is greeted by teammate Aaron Boone after Casey's solo home run in the third inning. (Associated Press photo) | ZOOM |

        “We had three doubles in one inning,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “I didn't know that could happen.”

        The Reds didn't set any records. They ended up with 10 hits. Sean Casey added his first home run of the spring to the three doubles.

        Not bad for a team that came in hitting .211. The slump was team-wide. Look at the batting averages entering Wednesday: Aaron Boone .211, Sean Casey .220, Juan Castro .172, Brady Clark .231, Adam Dunn .143, Juan Encarnacion .214, Jason LaRue .071, Ruben Mateo .156 and Kelly Stinnett .158. The only regulars with respectable averages were Ken Griffey Jr. (.276) and Todd Walker (.286).

        The Reds have chalked up the lack of hitting to the old “it's only spring training” justification.

        “I never worry about us not hitting,” said Bob Boone. “That's the furthest thing from my mind. If this club is healthy, at the end of the year the numbers are going to be good.”

        But it also can be said of this club that a good start is paramount to having a good season. So it wouldn't be good to leave Florida in a team-wide slump.

        “Yeah, it's spring training and all that,” said hitting coach Jim Lefebvre. “But at some point, you've got to hit. It's getting late. There's a sense of urgency.”

        That was apparent after the game ended Wednesday. Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr. and Juan Encarnacion came back on the field for a round of batting practice.

        “That's something we're going to do the rest of the way,” Lefebvre said. “We're going to take a couple of guys a day. They can come out here after the game and work on things and get to feel good about hitting. Today, we had Adam and Juan. Junior asked if he could join us. That's good.”

        Lefebvre is new to the Reds this year. His methods aren't conventional. He uses more drills and exercises than most hitting instructors. That could have had a negative effect while the hitters got used to it.

        “It could have,” Lefebvre said. “We maybe take too many swings. I'm constantly asking guys what they like and don't like. It's their program. Everyone is an individual.”

        Lefebvre thinks the hits will come with more at-bats.

        “Everyone has looked really good in batting practice,” he said. “Everyone is in great shape. It's a matter of getting more and more at-bats.”

        Boone plans on accommodating the regulars. They'll play eight or nine innings over the next week or so. It worked Wednesday. All eight starters had at least one hit.

        “It'll come,” Lefebvre said. “This team will hit.”
       

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