The Reds sent a strong message to their young pitchers: Shape up or we'll ship you out. The Reds sent Jose Acevedo to Triple-A Louisville after he was lit up for seven runs in the Reds' 8-3 loss to the Houston Astros Tuesday night at Cinergy Field.

Reds starter Jose Acevedo walks off the field after being removed by manager Bob Boone. (Jeff Swinger photos) | ZOOM |

        Top prospect Austin Kearns was recalled from Double-A Chattanooga and will make his big-league debut starting in left field tonight.

        Was the idea to send a message by sending down Acevedo?

        “I would think,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “I've got my third hitter (Ken Griffey Jr.) and my fourth hitter (Sean Casey) out. We're going to do everything to hold the fort until they're back. We think we've got a good team. We're not going to suffer through things like we did last year.”

        Boone didn't say who would replace Acevedo in the rotation. Two of the relievers who followed him Tuesday — Jose Rijo (3 1/3 innings, one run) and Jim Brower (three innings, no runs) — are candidates.

        “We'll see how the bullpen goes the next few days,” Boone said.

Jose Rijo rubs up a new ball after giving up Lance Berkman's third homer. | ZOOM |

        The Astros lit up Acevedo for seven runs in 1 2/3 innings. All seven scored on home runs. Acevedo (2-1) allowed four of them, and Lance Berkman hit three of them (two off Acevedo, one off Rijo).

        “We told Jose that when he doesn't have his good stuff, he has to make adjustments and pitch a little,” General Manager Jim Bowden said. “We don't have the luxury of having him learn to do that here.”

        Acevedo was not stunned by the demotion.

        He got a stern lecture after giving up 10 runs in his final exhibition start, against the Minnesota Twins in Chattanooga.

        “I've got to do my job,” he said. “They told me after the game in Chattanooga I got to keep the ball down.”

Berkman is greeted by Richard Hidalgo after his third homer. | ZOOM |

        Acevedo was one of three rookies who spent most of last year in the Reds' rotation. The Reds rushed him because they were so desperate — he went from Double-A To the big leagues.

        “He's never pitched at Triple-A,” Bowden said. “The experience will do him good.”

        It started innocently enough for Acevedo. Craig Biggio led off with an infield single, and after an out, Acevedo walked Jeff Bagwell. Not a good idea with Lance Berkman due up. Berkman hit .405 with four home runs 17 RBI against the Reds last year.

        He made it a 3-0 game with a home run that just cleared the left-field wall. Richard Hidalgo followed, making it 4-0.

Ruben Mateo reacts after striking out to end the game. | ZOOM |

        Acevedo got the first two batters in the second. He then walked Gregg Zaun, and Bagwell followed with his first home run of the year.

        Berkman made it back-to-back for the Astros for the second time in the game by crushing one that cleared the 40-foot black wall in center field. It was only the second ball hit over the wall. (St.Louis slugger Albert Pujols is the only other player to do it.)

        Berkman's shot ended Acevedo's night. The outing was the shortest of Acevedo's career, and his ERA jumped from 4.09 to 8.53.

        Rijo took over. He pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings before Berkman took him out to left. Berkman became the first player to hit three home runs against the Reds since Bret Boone did it for San Diego in 2000. The homer tied Berkman with Barry Bonds for the major-league lead with seven.

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