PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Saturday's games

The Reds have given up at least nine runs in eight of their first 18 games. Last season, they didn't allow nine runs in a game seven times until their 83rd game. A look at the carnage:

Pirates 10, Reds 1
March 31: Reggie Sanders, Kenny Lofton and Jason Kendall homered. The Reds had four hits.

Reds 10, Cubs 9
April 4: The Reds blew a 7-0 lead before winning on a Barry Larkin single.

Cubs 9, Reds 7
April 5: Starter Jimmy Haynes went only four innings for a second straight outing, and Ken Griffey Jr. dislocated his shoulder.

Phillies 13, Reds 1
April 13: Ryan Dempster and Scott Sullivan allowed all 13 runs - in one inning.

Cubs 11, Reds 1
April 15: The Cubs sent 11 batters to the plate in the fourth against Danny Graves and led 9-0 after five innings.

Cubs 10, Reds 4
April 16: Sammy Sosa hit a three-run homer in the Cubs' four-run first inning.

Cubs 16, Reds 3
April 17: The Cubs scored four runs in the first inning again, and Haynes lost his fourth straight start.

Expos 9, Reds 5
April 19: The Expos hung a nine-spot on the Reds with homers from Vlad the Terrible and Fernando Tatis (after scoring a mere eight in the first game of a Saturday doubleheader).

Puerto Rican connection

The names are of baseball greats, from Roberto Clemente and Orlando Cepeda to Roberto Alomar and Bernie Williams. But Puerto Rico's considerable contribution to major-league baseball barely has been felt in Cincinnati. The Reds' most significant Puerto Rican player was Benito Santiago, who played here in 1995 and again in 2000. The rest:

• Luis Arroyo, P, 1959
• Ricky Bones, P, 1997
• Hector Cruz, outfielder, OF, 1979-80
• Nino Escalera, INF/OF, 1954
• Raul Gonzalez, OF, 2000-01
• Felipe Lopez, INF, 2003
• Carmelo Martinez, INF/OF, 1991
• Hector Mercado, P, 2000-01
• Melvin Nieves, OF, 1998
• Luis Quinones, INF, 1988-91
• Rafael Santo Domingo, INF, 1979
• Ruben Sierra, OF, 1997
• Candy Sierra, P, 1988

Numbers game

(Entering Saturday)

14: Home runs hit by the Cubs in their four-game series with the Reds.
4: Home runs hit by the Cubs in their other 13 games.
17: Runs out of 25 total allowed by Jimmy Haynes this season that have scored with two outs.
.194: Team batting average with runners in scoring position, 28th in the majors.
0: Times the Reds had outhit their opponent (they were even twice).
83 2/3: Innings pitched by Reds starters.
56 1/3: Innings pitched by Reds relievers.
3: Saves in six chances.

The week ahead

Monday: OFF
Tuesday: vs. Los Angeles 7:10 p.m.
Wednesday: vs. Los Angeles 7:10 p.m.
Thursday: vs. Los Angeles 7:10 p.m.
Friday: vs. San Diego 7:10 p.m.
Saturday: vs. San Diego 1:15 p.m.
Sunday: vs. San Diego 1:15 p.m.

The skinny: L.A. and San Diego entered the weekend with losing records. None of the five previous teams the Reds have played - the Pirates, Cubs (twice), Phillies, Astros and Expos - entered the weekend below .500.