By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Reds starting pitcher Danny Graves gave up eight runs on nine hits in five innings, marking his worst outing since April 15. (Associated Press photos) | ZOOM |

HOUSTON - Reds manager Bob Boone was saying before the game that though he wasn't ready to commit to the four-man rotation for the rest of year, the early returns were good.

"We've talked to the starters a lot - more than usual - and they've all said they've felt better on the fourth day," Boone said.

Danny Graves felt wonderful Wednesday night, but he didn't look too good.

Graves gave up six runs in the first inning to send the Reds on their way to a 12-2 loss to the Houston Astros before a crowd of 26,034 at Minute Maid Park.

"That's the crazy thing," Graves said. "I felt great. If I felt bad, it would be easier to swallow."

The Reds' pennant pulse is faint and fading. They have lost seven straight games and 14 of their last 18. They are 6 1/2 games behind in the National League Central and a season-high nine games under .500 at 40-49.

The reason for the slide?

"What are the stats?" Boone said. "Hitting, pitching and fielding, that sums it up. We've pretty much done it as a team."

Houston's Adam Everett celebrates after hitting his first career grand slam, during the first inning Wednesday at Minute Maid Park. | ZOOM |

Boone knows his numbers.

In their seven-game skid, the Reds have averaged 3.14 runs a game; the team ERA is 7.47; and the Reds have made 10 errors.

And their offense was without injured starters Sean Casey, Austin Kearns and Jason LaRue Wednesday.

Those three are likely to miss today's game as well - one the Reds need to win to avoid being swept in a four-game series in Houston for the first time since 1971.

Graves pitched five innings and allowed eight runs on nine hits. It was his worst outing since April 15.

Wednesday's start was his third straight on three days of rest. He pitched well in the other two - seven innings each time with a 3.86 ERA.

Graves took a no-hitter into the seventh inning in his previous start but was hitless through just one batter Wednesday.

Geoff Blum singled with one out and Jeff Bagwell followed with a shot that right fielder Jose Guillen caught against the wall. Lance Berkman lashed a triple to right-center to put Houston ahead 1-0.

The inning nearly ended with that score, but Richard Hidalgo's broken-bat looper fell into right field for a single to make it 2-0. Morgan Ensberg followed with another broken-bat hit.

"That's baseball," Graves said. "That happens."

Graves walked Gregg Zaun to load the bases, and the big mistake followed. Adam Everett hit a high drive to left field that just made it to the seats.

"It was a slider that just spun," Graves said.

It was Everett's first career grand slam, and it put the Astros ahead 6-0.

That lead looked pretty large with the way the Reds have been hitting lately. They managed a total of four runs on 11 hits in the first two games of this series.

"It's still the first inning," Ken Griffey Jr. said. "That's why you play nine. You've got to battle. We haven't been able to do it lately."

The Reds lost the battle with Jeriome Robertson. The left-hander, who beat the Reds and Graves 4-2 on April 10, went seven innings and allowed one run on four hits. He struck out seven and walked none.

He came into the game with a 5.15 ERA, but he pushed his record to 8-3 and extended his winning streak to seven games.

The Reds' first run came in the sixth on Griffey's second home run in as many nights.

The Astros lit up Todd Van Poppel for four runs in the sixth - three on back-to-back home runs by Berkman and Hidalgo.

Since being called up by the Reds, Van Poppel has a 13.50 ERA in four appearances.

Juan Castro hit his fifth home run of the year - a career high - in the eighth to cut Houston's lead to 12-2.

The Reds have four games left before the All-Star break - the season's symbolic halfway point - and appear to be on the brink of playing themselves out of contention.

"Every game is important," Griffey said. "We're not out of it. We'll get through this stretch of games and our luck will change. We've just got to find a way out of it."

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
DJimenez 2b-3b	4	0	2	0	0	0	.429
Dunn 1b	3	0	0	0	0	1	.213
JGuillen rf	4	0	1	0	0	0	.336
Griffey Jr. cf	3	1	1	1	0	1	.242
Taylor cf	1	0	1	0	0	0	.221
ABoone 3b	4	0	0	0	0	1	.268
Heredia p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.333
Larkin ss	3	0	0	0	0	2	.272
Williamson p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Olmedo 2b	1	0	0	0	0	0	.301
Branyan lf	4	0	0	0	0	3	.244
Stinnett c	4	0	1	0	0	0	.267
Graves p	2	0	1	0	0	0	.132
Van Poppel p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
JCastro ss	2	1	1	1	0	0	.244
Totals	35	2	8	2	0	8

Houston	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Biggio cf	4	1	3	0	0	0	.270
BHunter cf	1	0	0	0	0	0	.247
Blum 2b-1b	5	1	1	0	0	0	.276
Bagwell 1b	4	1	1	1	0	0	.265
Merced lf	1	0	0	0	0	0	.255
Berkman lf	3	2	2	3	1	0	.277
Saarloos p	1	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Hidalgo rf	4	3	3	2	0	0	.317
Ensberg 3b	4	1	1	0	0	1	.303
Zaun c	3	2	1	2	1	1	.231
AEverett ss	4	1	2	4	0	0	.249
Robertson p	3	0	0	0	0	1	.133
Matranga ph-2b	1	0	0	0	0	1	.250
Totals	38	12	14	12	2	4

Cincinnati	000	001	010	-2	8	0
Houston	600	024	00x	-12	14	0

LOB-Cincinnati 7, Houston 4. 2B-Taylor (3), Biggio (26), Hidalgo (23). 3B-Biggio (1), Berkman (2). HR-JCastro (5), off Saarloos; Hidalgo (14), off Van Poppel; Berkman (16), off Van Poppel; Griffey Jr. (10), off Robertson; Zaun (1), off Graves; AEverett (5), off Graves. RBIs-Griffey Jr. (22), JCastro (15), Bagwell (43), Berkman 3 (57), Hidalgo 2 (45), Zaun 2 (12), AEverett 4 (23). SB-Graves (1).

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Graves L, 4-9	5	9	8	8	2	0	91	5.21
Van Poppel	1	4	4	4	0	2	26	13.50
Williamson	1	1	0	0	0	2	13	3.28
Heredia	1	0	0	0	0	0	9	3.22

Houston	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Robertson W, 8-3	7	4	1	1	0	7	107	4.87
Saarloos	2	4	1	1	0	1	33	6.53

HBP-by Robertson (Dunn).

Umpires-Home, Ted Barrett; First, C.B. Bucknor; Second, Tim McClelland; Third, Tony Randazzo.

T-2:26. A-26,034 (40,950).