By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Tuesday's game

HOUSTON - The Reds' season continues to unravel, one mistake at a time. Tuesday night, Barry Larkin's throwing error led to three unearned runs, and that was the margin of difference in the 6-3 loss to the Houston Astros.

"That's the way the season has been going," said Jimmy Haynes, who started and lost to fall to 1-9. "When something can go wrong, it does."

The Reds clearly are a team on the brink. Look at the numbers:

• They've lost a season-high six games in a row. They are 4-13 so far on the 22-game stretch, which includes 19 road games.

• They are in a virtual tie with Pittsburgh for fourth place in the National League Central, after being alone in fourth for 47 straight days.

• They are eight games under .500 (40-48), equaling a season high. They were 5-13 on April 19.

• The Reds aren't hitting. They've scored three or fewer runs 12 times in their last 22 games.

Their first-half MVP, Jose Guillen, is 1-for-his last 16. Their highest-paid player, Ken Griffey Jr., is 4-for-his last 30. Their RBI leader, Austin Kearns, is 5-for-his last 50. Their hits leader, Sean Casey, left Tuesday's game because of a groin strain and is day-to-day.

• The Reds aren't fielding. They've made an error in seven straight games and have 85 on the season.

"Tonight, it meant three runs," Reds manager Bob Boone said.

• The Reds aren't pitching. Cincinnati is last in the National League in ERA. And even when they get a decently pitched game, they don't convert it to a win. Haynes has a 3.41 ERA in his nine starts since coming off the disabled list, but he is 1-5 in that span.

"It's tough," Haynes said. "You pitch decent and you don't get anything out of it. Really, I've been getting a loss almost every time."

Adam Dunn put the Reds ahead 1-0 with a home run to lead off the second inning. It was the 25th home run of the year for Dunn and was another sign he's emerging from his slump. Dunn is hitting .292 (14-for-48) over his last 16 games.

Richard Hidalgo led off the Astros second and fouled the second pitch from Haynes sharply toward the Reds' dugout. Bench coach Ray Knight and pitcher Ryan Dempster were standing along the rail, and both scrambled to get out of the way. But the ball struck Knight behind his right ear, and he went down and stayed down for several minutes while medical personnel attended to him.

"I saw it," Knight said of the ball. "I tried to get out of the way. Next thing I knew, I was down."

But he was OK, except for a bump and a cut where the ball struck him.

When play resumed, Hidalgo singled and Morgan Ensberg followed with his second home run in as many nights to make it 2-1.

The Reds tied the game in the fifth inning. D'Angelo Jimenez led off with his first hit as a Red, and Barry Larkin drove him in.

But again, the Astros answered in the bottom of the inning.

Haynes got the first two outs, then walked Jeff Bagwell - just as he had in the first and third innings. He ended those innings by striking out Lance Berkman, but this time Berkman doubled to score Bagwell and give Houston a 3-2 lead.

Haynes got the first two outs of the sixth on groundballs. But on a groundball that should have ended the inning, Larkin's throw pulled Dunn off the bag at first base.

Pinch hitter Orlando Merced followed with a run-scoring double. Kearns made a great attempt at a diving catch on the ball, but it popped out of his glove when he hit the ground.

Craig Biggio and Geoff Blum followed with singles to make it 6-2.

"The error hurt me," Haynes said. "After that, I couldn't make a pitch to get out of it.

And the good news for the Reds?

Griffey cut their disadvantage to 6-3 with a homer (his ninth) to lead off the eighth inning.

"It was a pitch down and away," Griffey said. "I was able to get a good swing on it. I'm trying to get to the point where I'm comfortable."

Maybe if that happens, it will be the shakeup the Reds need.

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Larkin ss	5	0	2	1	0	1	.277
JGuillen rf-lf	5	0	0	0	0	2	.338
Griffey Jr. cf	3	1	1	1	0	1	.240
Dunn lf-1b	4	1	1	1	0	0	.216
ABoone 3b	3	0	1	0	0	0	.271
Casey 1b	2	0	0	0	0	0	.295
Kearns rf	2	0	0	0	0	1	.264
DJimenez 2b	3	1	1	0	1	0	.333
Reith p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Stinnett c	3	0	1	0	0	0	.268
JHaynes p	2	0	0	0	0	1	.278
Sullivan p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Branyan ph	1	0	0	0	0	1	.268
Reitsma p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.125
JCastro 2b	1	0	0	0	0	0	.242
Totals	34	3	7	3	1	7

Houston	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Biggio cf	4	1	1	1	1	0	.265
Blum 2b-3b	5	0	1	1	0	0	.277
Bagwell 1b	1	1	0	0	3	0	.265
Berkman lf	4	0	1	1	0	2	.273
Hidalgo rf	4	1	1	0	0	0	.310
Ensberg 3b	3	1	1	2	1	1	.304
Wagner p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Ausmus c	4	0	0	0	0	1	.204
AEverett ss	2	1	0	0	2	1	.243
Redding p	2	0	0	0	0	2	.148
Gallo p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Merced ph	1	1	1	1	0	0	.257
Dotel p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
PMunro p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Bruntlett 2b	1	0	1	0	0	0	.238
Totals	31	6	7	6	7	7

Cincinnati	010	010	010	-3	7	2
Houston	020	013	00x	-6	7	0

E-Larkin (6), Stinnett (1). LOB-Cincinnati 8, Houston 8. 2B-Stinnett (10), Berkman (16), Merced (14), Bruntlett (1). HR-Griffey Jr. (9), off PMunro; Ensberg (17), off JHaynes; Dunn (25), off Redding. RBIs-Larkin (12), Griffey Jr. (21), Dunn (48), Biggio (32), Blum (30), Berkman (54), Ensberg 2 (42), Merced (21). SB-Bagwell (5), Ausmus (3). GIDP-Blum. DP-Cincinnati 1.

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
JHaynes L, 1-9	5 2/3	6	6	3	5	6	116	5.67
Sullivan	1/3	0	0	0	0	0	3	4.04
Reitsma	1	0	0	0	0	1	21	4.82
Reith	1	1	0	0	2	0	22	4.37

Houston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Redding W, 5-8	5 2/3	4	2	2	1	4	108	4.02
Gallo H, 1	1/3	0	0	0	0	0	5	0.00
Dotel	1	1	0	0	0	3	16	1.95
PMunro	2/3	1	1	1	0	0	19	4.84
Wagner S, 23	1 1/3	1	0	0	0	0	18	2.36

IBB-off Reith (Biggio) 1, off JHaynes (AEverett) 1. HBP-by PMunro (ABoone), by Redding (Griffey Jr.), by Redding (Stinnett). WP-Redding.

T-3:03. A-29,091 (40,950).

How the runs scored in Tuesday's game between the Reds and the Astros

Reds second. Dunn homered to center on a full count. Boone grounded out, shortstop Everett to first baseman Bagwell. Casey grounded out, shortstop Everett to first baseman Bagwell. Jimenez walked on a full count. Stinnett was hit by a pitch, Jimenez to second. Haynes grounded out, pitcher Redding to third baseman Ensberg to first baseman Bagwell. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 2 left on. Reds 1, Astros 0.

Astros second. Hidalgo singled to center. Ensberg homered to left on a 1-1 count, Hidalgo scored. Ausmus struck out. Everett struck out. Redding struck out. 2 runs, 2 hits, 0 errors, 0 left on. Astros 2, Reds 1.

Reds fifth. Jimenez singled to left. Stinnett lined out to second baseman Blum. On Redding's wild pitch, Jimenez to second. Haynes struck out. Larkin singled to center, Jimenez scored. Guillen struck out. 1 run, 2 hits, 0 errors, 1 left on. Astros 2, Reds 2.

Astros fifth. Guillen in as left fielder. Dunn in as first baseman. Kearns in as right fielder. Biggio grounded out, third baseman Boone to first baseman Dunn. Blum flied out to left fielder Guillen. Bagwell walked. Berkman doubled to left, Bagwell scored. Hidalgo flied out to center fielder Griffey Jr. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Astros 3, Reds 2.

Astros sixth. Ensberg grounded out, second baseman Jimenez to first baseman Dunn. Ausmus grounded out, shortstop Larkin to first baseman Dunn. Everett safe on Larkin's error. Merced pinch-hitting for Gallo. Merced doubled to center, Everett scored. Biggio singled to right, Merced scored. Biggio to second. On Stinnett's error, Biggio to third. Blum singled to center, Biggio scored. Sullivan pitching. Bagwell grounded out, third baseman Boone to first baseman Dunn. 3 runs, 3 hits, 2 errors, 1 left on. Astros 6, Reds 2.

Reds eighth. Munro pitching. Griffey Jr. homered to center on a 1-1 count. Dunn fouled out to catcher Ausmus. Boone was hit by a pitch. On defensive indifference, Boone to second. Kearns grounded out, shortstop Everett to first baseman Bagwell. Blum in as third baseman. Wagner pitching. Bruntlett in as second baseman. On defensive indifference, Boone to third. Jimenez fouled out to right fielder Hidalgo. 1 run, 1 hit, 0 errors, 1 left on. Astros 6, Reds 3.