Sunday, April 28, 2002
Reds swing well in rain
By John Erardi jerardi@enquirer.com
The Cincinnati Enquirer
Austin Kearns, who was 2-for-2 Saturday with two runs scored and an RBI, continues to shine and make a place for himself in the Reds lineup.
He said the hitting conditions were tough in the rain — cue “Slip Sliding Away” by Paul Simon — but Kearns isn't complaining. One gets the impression he'd rather be hitting in the big leagues in a monsoon, rather than hitting in the minors in 75-degree balminess with the wind blowing out.
“We got some big hits (Saturday),” Kearns said. “Case (Reds first baseman Sean Casey) got a two-out hit in the first, Adam (Dunn) walked and Aaron (Boone) got that two-out hit to score Case. That got us going a little bit, gave us a little momentum and it kind of carried over.”
Former Red Reggie Sanders, now a Giant, said Saturday's conditions were the most difficult he had ever played in at Cinergy Field. Of course, when Sanders played here full time, the field was AstroTurf, not grass as it is now. Grass is more slippery.
Reds starter Jose Rijo agreed with Sanders' assessment.
“Without a doubt,” Rijo said. “I really didn't think we were going to play, at least not so close to on time (the game started only six minutes late). I had to get ready to rock 'n' roll quickly.”
The official boxscore the Reds hand out at the end of every game said it best Saturday, under the category of “Gametime Weather: Ominous, 60 degrees.”
It rained the entire game. The game was stopped before the Reds batted in the eighth inning, and called on account of that rain after a 30-minute wait.
Kearns said he tries to pay more attention to his individual at-bats than however they might be adding up in the hits, RBI and runs column.
He and the rest of the Reds on the field loved the way Rijo was working quickly and throwing almost entirely strikes. The only time Rijo got fine and missed a little bit was against Barry Bonds.
“That keeps you in the game as a player,” Kearns said. "'"It keeps everybody on their toes. And it was great to get him some runs early. That can only help any pitcher's confidence out there.”
One could tell Kearns is having fun here, soaking it all in, especially the aura that surrounded Rijo on Saturday. The fans, though wet, were into it, giving Rijo standing ovations when he took the field and at the end of each inning he pitched.
“When he walked in from the bullpen, everybody was going crazy,” Kearns said.
Rijo said that was the ovation that “really made me feel special.”
THIS AND THAT: At 9a.m. today, Reds players will pass out refreshments to participants in the March of Dimes Walk-America event. Participants will enter the stadium in center field, walk along the warning track and exit in right field on their way to Paul Brown Stadium next door. ... The Reds have won six consecutive home games, tying their longest winning streak here since winning the last six home games last season.
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Reds swing well in rain
