Ryan Dempster, yanked in the third inning, gave up four runs on seven hits. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Over time, the acquisition of Ryan Dempster might work out great, but right now, Dempster is the weakest link in the Reds rotation. He put the Reds in an early hole Monday night and they never dug out. The result, besides a 6-5 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates, was that the Reds dropped 4 1/2 games behind the first-place Cardinals, who beat the Giants 5-3.

        “All I can do is pull my head out and try to pitch the way I'm capable of these last eight, nine weeks,” Dempster said. “As bad as it's been, I've been through worse.”

        Dempster, acquired July 7 from the Florida Marlins, made his third straight awful start for the Reds. Dempster (5-11 and 0-3 as a Red) went 2 1/3innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He walked one and struck out two.

        It was Dempster's shortest outing of the year.

        In his three starts with the Reds, Dempster has allowed 16 runs in 12 innings. That adds up to a 12.00 ERA. Dempster is fooling no one. He has allowed 20 hits and four home runs in those 20 innings.

        “It doesn't have anything to do with mechanics or added pressure,” Dempster said. “I'm just getting the ball up in the zone and getting hit.”

Adam Dunn can't scoop Brian Giles' shot down the line for a triple in the first inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Dempster was in trouble from the start. He walked the second batter of the game, Jack Wilson. Brian Giles followed with an RBI triple into the right-field corner. The ball went right under first baseman Adam Dunn's mitt.

        “That's a play I've just to make,” Dunn said. “Sean (Casey) makes the play.”

        The play led to two runs because Aramis Ramirez brought Giles home with a sacrifice fly.

        Dempster allowed another run in the second on Pokey Reese's sacrifice fly. That made it 3-0.

        The Reds got a run back in the second, but ran themselves out of a bigger inning. Jason LaRue and Dempster each singled with two outs. Barry Larkin followed with a double. LaRue scored, but Dempster was thrown out at the plate.

        “That's a huge out right there,” Reds manager Bob Boone said.

Ken Griffey Jr. hits a second-inning single. (Greg Ruffing photo) | ZOOM |

        Third base coach Tim Foli sent Dempster.

        “I saw the ball go over the cut-off man's head,” Foli said. “That's how I read it. I thought he had a chance.”

        The play was close, but relay man Kevin Young's relay throw beat Dempster by a few feet — although the pitcher nearly avoided catcher Jason Kendall's tag.

        “I'm not sure he wasn't safe,” Foli said. “If he just lays on the plate, he's safe. But you can't fault him — he's a pitcher.”

        The play may have had something to Dempster giving up a home run to Giles on the second pitch of the third inning. Or it may not have. It was Giles 14th homer and 35th RBI in his career against the Reds.

        After Ramirez singled and Kevin Young doubled, Dempster's night was over.

Pirates catcher Jason Kendall holds up the ball for umpire Laz Diaz after tagging out Dempster at home in the second inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

        Jared Fernandez, Friday's starter, was brought in, and ended the Pirates' threat before allowing two runs in the fourth.

        Dunn made it 6-2 with his 19th home run of the year in the fifth inning, and the Reds picked up another run in the sixth.

        That was it for Reds killer Jimmy Anderson, who is 3-1 against the Reds and 4-9 against everyone else.

        The Reds added two more runs in the seventh off Brian Boehringer.

        But Scott Sauerbeck, a left-hander from Northwest High and Miami University, came in for Pittsburgh and got Todd Walker to ground out, ending the inning.

        The Reds got the potential tying run on base in the eighth and ninth, but couldn't get it home.

        “I liked the way we battled back,” Boone said. “We did a lot of good things tonight.”

Rogers keeps Reds waiting Griffey's return a hit Pirates 6, Reds 5 Reds Box, Runs Casey may get extended rest Giles: Dempster out of control Reds Notebook: Reitsma sent to bullpen Reds prospects in limbo, too Fehr: No strike date set Cardinals 5, Giants 3 Diamondbacks 5, Rockies 1 Padres 5, Dodgers 2 Twins 11, White Sox 6 Louisville 5, Durham 4

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