By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Saturday's games

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - In an effort to put a little life in the lineup, Reds manager Bob Boone "flip-flopped 'em."

That is, he put Aaron Boone at the top of the order and dropped Felipe Lopez to the second spot Saturday.

Lopez had led off for seven straight games since Barry Larkin injured his calf and went on the disabled list. Boone batted second in six of those games. He hit third Thursday when Sean Casey missed the game.

The change may or not last until Larkin returns.

"We'll see," Bob Boone said. "I'm hoping it will help. Aaron can be selective when he wants to be. I look at (leadoff) as a run-producing spot. I like the way Felipe can handle the bat, that he can help us in the second spot."

It was the first time in his career that Aaron batted leadoff.

It worked only about half-well in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader. Boone went 0-for-5, while Lopez went 2-for-5 with two runs scored in an 8-7 loss to Montreal. Both players went 0-for-4 in the second game, a 9-5 Expos victory.

A FIRST: The Reds outhit the Expos 12-11 in the first game Saturday. It marked the first time this season the Reds have outhit an opponent. They were outhit by Montreal 11-8 in the second game.

LONG, HAPPY TRIP: Sean Casey had quite a day Friday.

He left Good Samaritan Hospital at 5:30 a.m. His wife, Mandi, had given birth to their second child, Jacob, 12 hours earlier.

Casey caught a 7 a.m. flight to Philadelphia to try to catch a flight to San Juan.

He had about an hour layover. That seemed safe until he realized he deplaned at Gate F30 and had to go to A20.

"I sprint through the airport," he said. "I just make it. I get there, and they say there's a delay for an hour. It ended up being 2 1/2 hours."

Casey got to the Hilton, where the Reds are staying in San Juan, at 3:45 p.m.

"I took a 30-second shower," he said. "I go down to the lobby and say, 'Where's the bus?' They said the game had been called. I said, 'You've got to be kidding.' All that for nothing."

Everything went well with the birth. Mandi and the baby were home by Saturday.

Andrew, Casey's 1 1/2-year-old son, is taking to his brother well.

"He said hi to the baby," Casey said. "Then he started running the halls at the hospital."

TRIFECTA: The Reds entered Saturday last in the National League in hitting (.224), fielding (.964) and pitching (6.62 ERA).

MORE CASEY: Casey went 3-for-4 with two runs and an RBI in Game 1 Saturday and was 2-for-4 with two runs in Game 2. That extended his hitting streak to six games.

Casey is 13-for-25 (.520) over that period.

"I'm feeling good," Casey said, "but it doesn't do much good when you don't win the game."

CASTRO GETS HIS CHANCE: Juan Castro started at third base in Game 2 Saturday, his second start in the last four games.

Castro went 3-for-4 with one run and two RBI.

UP NEXT: The Reds conclude the three-game series here today with a 1:05 p.m. game. Right-hander Danny Graves (0-2, 8.62 ERA) faces right-hander Tony Armas Jr. (2-1, 1.44).

---

E-mail jfay@enquirer.com