Enquirer staff and wire reports

LAKELAND, Fla. - Jose Guillen homered and drove in two runs as the Cincinnati Reds roughed up struggling Detroit knuckleballer Steve Sparks and beat the Tigers 9-4 in a split-squad game Monday night.

Felipe Lopez hit his third home run of the spring and scored twice for the Reds.

Sparks, who has been working with former big league knuckleballer Joe Niekro, allowed seven runs for the third straight outing and gave up nine hits in six innings.

Cincinnati's Aaron Boone, shifted from third base to second this spring to make room for prospect Brandon Larson, made two throwing errors that led to a pair of runs.

Boone's first throw of the night one-hopped Sean Casey at first base to nullify a potential double play and allow Gene Kingsale to score.

Dmitri Young and Eric Munson singled in two more first-inning runs for a 3-2 lead. Boone's second error, a rushed throw over Casey's head on Munson's soft grounder, allowed Bobby Higginson to score in the third and make it 4-2.

It was one of the few times all spring Boone has looked uncomfortable at second base.

Cincinnati scored four times in the fourth to move ahead for good. Guillen's one-out solo homer preceded RBI doubles by Kelly Stinnett and Reggie Taylor.

Reds starter Seth Etherton allowed four runs - three earned - and two hits in three innings. He walked three and struck out five.

Marlins (ss) 8, Reds (ss) 1

SARASOTA, Fla. - Danny Graves had no problems with his right knee as he pitched five innings Monday, taking the loss as the Florida Marlins beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 in a split-squad game.

Graves, being turned into a starter after spending his major league career as a closer, had to miss his previous scheduled start because of an inflamed tendon in his right knee.

He gave up two runs and five hits in the first inning, when Brian Banks and Todd Hollandsworth had RBI singles. Graves allowed only three more hits in the next four innings, showing no problem with the knee.

"The knee was totally fine," said Graves, who has a 6.91 ERA.

The biggest test came in the third, when Al Martin grounded sharply to first baseman Adam Dunn and the ball deflected back toward the mound as Graves ran to cover first. Graves planted and quickly changed course to try to get to the ball.

"Everybody was screaming for me not to do that," Graves said. "It was just instinct. That was a true test."

Michael Tejera gave up three hits and a run in the first three innings, and the Reds managed only six hits overall off seven pitchers. Juan Pierre and Ramon Castro each had three hits, and Banks drove in two runs with a single and a double.

The arms: The relief corps got beat around in the day game. Chris Reitsma, Scott Sullivan and John Riedling all gave up two runs.

After scoring three earned runs off starter Seth Etherton in the nightcap, the Tigers were held scoreless by a trio of Reds relievers. Blake Williams, Lance Davis and Jeff Austin each threw two scoreless innings.

Williams struck out two and walked one. The right-hander has not allowed a run in three innings.

The bats: Wily Mo Pena extended his hitting streak to seven games before leaving with a tight groin muscle. Ken Griffey Jr. doubled.

The Reds hit for the cycle in the fourth against Tigers starter Steve Sparks, including a Jose Guillen homer.

Designated hitter Jose Guillen started with a solo homer, his first of the spring. Right fielder Ruben Mateo then singled, left fielder Benny Agbayani tripled and catcher Kelly Stinnett and center fielder Reggie Taylor both doubled.

Shortstop Felipe Lopez led the game off with a double and homered.

The rest: Adam Dunn, making a start at first base, committed an error . .  Second baseman Aaron Boone committed his fourth and fifth errors in the night game . .  The Tigers stole three bases on Etherton and Stinnett.

Up next: Jimmy Haynes (0-1, 6.00 ERA) faces the Phillies at Clearwater.Marlins 8, Reds 1

FLORIDA (ss)					CINCINNATI (ss)
	ab	r	h	bi		ab	r	h	bi
Pierre cf	5	1	3	1	Larkin ss	2	1	0	0
Judd p	0	0	0	0	Reitsma p	0	0	0	0
Phelps p	0	0	0	0	Denorfia rf	0	0	0	0
Mrdcai 2b	3	1	1	0	LaRue c	3	0	1	0
Ercksn 2b	1	1	0	0	Smthrmn rf	1	0	1	0
Martin rf	3	0	0	0	Griffey cf	3	0	1	0
Stratton rf	2	1	1	1	Stefanski c	1	0	0	0
Banks 1b	4	0	2	2	Dunn 1b	3	0	1	1
Croushore p	0	0	0	0	Pena rf	3	0	0	0
Hoover lf	1	0	0	0	Sullivan p	0	0	0	0
Hlldswrth lf	3	1	2	1	Rieldling p	0	0	0	0
Kent p	0	0	0	0	Bergolla ph	1	0	0	0
Magness ss	2	0	0	0	Brown lf-cf	4	0	0	0
Castro c	4	0	3	0	Guerrero 2b	4	0	0	0
Rndgrn ss	1	2	0	0	Drnsfldt 3b-ss	3	0	0	0
Fox ss	3	0	0	0	Graves p	1	0	1	0
Jorgnsn c	1	0	1	1	Encrncn 3b	2	0	1	0
Cabrera 3b	5	1	1	2
Tejera p	2	0	1	0
Willis p	0	0	0	0
Allen lf-cf	2	0	0	0
Totals	42	8	15	8	Totals	31	1	6	1

Florida (ss)	200	001	122-8
Cincinnati (ss)	100	000	000-1

E-Dunn, Griffey, Dransfeldt. DP-Florida 2, Cincinnati 1. LOB-Florida 9, Cincinnati 6. 2B-Griffey, Hollandsworth, Banks, Castro, Jorgensen. HR-Stratton (2). CS-Martin.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Florida
Tejera W, 2-1	3	3	1	1	1	3
Willis	2	1	0	0	1	2
Kent	1	0	0	0	0	0
Croushore	1	0	0	0	0	0
Judd	1	2	0	0	1	1
Phelps	1	0	0	0	0	0
Cincinnati
Graves L, 0-1	5	8	2	2	0	2
Reitsma	2	2	2	1	2	1

Reds 9, Tigers 4

CINCINNATI (ss)					DETROIT (ss)
	ab	r	h	bi		ab	r	h	bi
Lopez ss	3	2	2	1	Kingsale cf	4	1	0	0
Mateo ph-ss	1	1	0	0	Sntiago 2b	2	0	0	0
Boone 2b	3	1	1	1	Klssen 2b	1	0	0	0
Cruz ph-1b	1	1	0	0	Hggnson rf	1	2	0	0
Casey 1b	3	0	1	0	Nicholson rf	0	0	0
Blanco 3b	1	0	1	2	DYoung lf	3	1	1	1
Guillen dh	4	1	1	2	Grdeson lf	0	0	0	0
Mateo rf	4	1	1	0	Pena 1b	4	0	0	0
Agbyni lf	4	0	1	1	Munson 3b	3	0	1	1
Castro 3b-2b	4	1	0	0	Witt dh	4	0	0	0
Stnett c	3	1	1	1	Haslman c	3	0	0	0
Miller c	1	0	0	0	Walbeck c	1	0	1	0
Taylor cf	3	0	1	1	Infante ss	4	0	0	0
Totals	35	9	10	9	Totals	30	4	3	2

Cincinnati (ss)	200	410	200-9
Detroit (ss)	301	000	000-4

E-Lopez, Boone 2, Blanco. DP-Cincinnati 2, Detroit 1. LOB-Cincinnati 2, Detroit 6. 2B-Lopez, Boone , Stinnett, Taylor. 3B-Blanco, Agbayani. HRs-Guillen (1), Lopez (3). SB-Kingsale (1), Higginson (3), DYoung (1).

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO
Cincinnati
Etherton W, 2-0	3	2	4	3	3	5
Williams	2	0	0	0	1	2
Davis	2	0	0	0	2	1
Austin	2	1	0	0	0	1
Detroit
Sparks L, 0-2	6	9	7	7	0	2
Santana	1	1	2	2	2	1
Ledezma	1	0	0	0	0	1
German	1	0	0	0	1	1

HBP-by Etherton (Santiago). WP-Etherton.

T-2:36. A-4,274.