It's been a dreadful year for catcher Kelly Stinnett, until this weekend.

        He went on the DL in April because of tendinitis, and then strained a groin while on rehab assignment with Triple-A Louisville.

        Finally activated last week, Stinnett played Friday for the first time since April 5 and had two hits, his first of the season. Sunday he was 3-for-4 and drove in three runs in the Reds 9-1 win over the New York Mets.

        “It's huge,” Stinnett said of the relief he felt. “What I'm trying to do is give (manager) Bob Boone the confidence that he can throw me back there any time and I'll do as good of a job as Jason (LaRue).”

        Some seldom-seen players in the Cincinnati lineup — Stinnett, Brandon Larson and Juan Castro — accounted for six of the Reds' 11 hits.

        “It's just a confidence-builder when you have a game like that,” Stinnett said. “It puts it in the back of Bob's mind that he can use us at any time and we'll be ready like today.”

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