By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Sunday's game

On the same day injured Reds shortstop Barry Larkin confided that he had recently had "the talk" with Felipe Lopez, the 22-year-old shortstop showed his stuff Sunday in the Reds' 7-5 victory over the Padres at Great American Ball Park.

In the top of the second inning, with the Padres up 1-0 and a man on second, Lopez ranged two steps beyond the second-base side of the bag to glove a sharp-bounding ground ball and throw out the pitcher on a bang-bang play.

"Awesome," said Reds starting pitcher Paul Wilson (1-2).

"The talk" to which Larkin referred is the one in which the Reds' 17-year shortstop - who turns 39 today - told the youngster, in his first full season in the big leagues, that the torch will soon be passed.

"We had a conversation the other day about the shoes he's going to have to fill, and I haven't had that talk with anybody else," Larkin said.

How did Lopez take that?

"He gave me a hug," said Larkin, smiling.

If health allows, Larkin hopes to play shortstop the rest of the season and then turn it over to Lopez.

Larkin, on the disabled list, thinks he could make a contribution next year as a "quasi-utility guy."

"As long as I can contribute, and I'm not taking anything away from somebody else, I'd like to do that," Larkin said. "When Junior (Ken Griffey Jr.) went down and they asked me to go play outfield, my thoughts (went to) were that Reggie Taylor and Ruben Mateo - guys that are out there trying to make a living for their families - I felt uncomfortable about stepping in front of those guys.

"When I was a young guy, I saw some (older) guys sort of holding on, and some of my buddies, kids at the time, were sent back to the minor leagues. I don't want to be that guy."

Scott Williamson got his fifth save Sunday, with a heart-thumping ninth, the big out being a strikeout of Ryan Klesko, who'd already hit two homers, with two on.

In the bottom of the second, Lopez ripped a two-out double into the right-field corner to tie it at 1.

And in the Reds' big fifth inning, Lopez completely unraveled the Padres with a two-on, no-out bunt that popped the cork on a four-run Reds' outburst that blew open a 3-3 game.

Padres pitcher Brian Lawrence fielded the bunt, rushed the throw and zipped it over the first baseman's head, scoring Aaron Boone, sending Adam Dunn to third and Lopez to second.

"Felipe is a gifted player," said Reds third baseman Aaron Boone. "He's starting to show what he can do."