By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

One of the downfalls of the Reds in 2002 was their inability to beat the good teams.

The Reds were 24-51 against teams that finished above .500 and 54-33 against teams that finished below .500.

This year, the Reds are playing better against the better teams.

They entered Thursday's game 17-14 against teams that entered the night above .500, and 7-8 against teams that entered the night below .500.

"I guess that's good," Reds manager Bob Boone said. "It's good for the confidence level."

Boone looks more at pitching matchups. Early in the year, it seemed like the Reds were facing a Kerry Wood or a Roy Oswalt or a Kevin Millwood every night.

"We faced some awfully good pitchers," Boone said. "We proved we're capable of beating those pitchers. That's important. It's not like we see we're facing (Curt) Schilling and say, 'We'll get them tomorrow.' "

Boone just wants to see the wins add up.

"It comes down to wins and losses," he said. "Last year, (the media) wrote about us not being able to beat the good teams. But we were in first place."

The Reds did hang near the top until they went 6-16 in a 22-game stretch in July and August in which they played Arizona, Houston and St. Louis 19 times.

KEARNS OUT: Austin Kearns was out of the lineup Thursday with a sore right shoulder.

Atlanta pitcher Ray King fell on Kearns when he tried to score from third on a wild pitch in the seventh inning of Wednesday's 9-3 victory.

Jose Guillen made his second straight start. Guillen entered Thursday 5-for-14 (.357) with two RBI since Ken Griffey Jr. returned and Guillen was moved to the fourth outfielder role.

FREEL'S BACK: Ryan Freel was recalled from Triple-A Louisville to take Barry Larkin's roster spot.

It is Freel's second stint with the Reds. He appeared in 10 games, including six starts for the Reds the last time Larkin was on the disabled list.

Freel, 27, hit .150 in 20 at-bats. But he showed he could manufacture runs when he got on base. He stole three bases and scored four runs. He was hitting .305 with two homers and nine RBI at Louisville. He had 10 steals in 12 tries.

Juan Castro figures to get most of the playing time at second base. Castro entered Thursday's game hitting .253, and he has been spectacular in the field.

But Freel will play some.

HAYNES' NUMBERS: Jimmy Haynes made his second straight impressive rehab start. Haynes went 6 2/3 shutout innings for Triple-A Louisville against Rochester Thursday night. Haynes allowed only three hits. He walked one and struck out six.

Haynes allowed an unearned run on two hits in his previous rehab start at Single-A Dayton on May 15.

Haynes, on the disabled list since April 17 with a bulging disc, probably will make his next start for the Reds.