By Kevin Kelly
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Edwin Encarnacion is getting a much-deserved second chance. The Reds promoted the talented third baseman to Double-A Chattanooga Friday.

Rated the Reds' fourth-best prospect by Baseball America, Encarnacion was sent down from Chattanooga to Single-A Potomac in mid-May after hitting .214 with one homer, 10 walks and 15 strikeouts in 32 games for the Lookouts.

"He was in a little over his head," said Tim Naehring, Reds director of player development. "We moved him down and there were a couple of weeks where he wasn't real happy. But he finally realized it was the best thing for him."

Once Encarnacion accepted the move, the 20-year-old thrived at Potomac. He batted .321 with 15 doubles, six homers, 24 walks and 29 RBI.

"Obviously, I'm very impressed with the way he's going about it," Naehring said. "I had some scouts come up to me and tell me that they felt (Encarnacion) and another position player for the Braves organization were the two best position players in the Carolina League.

FLIP-FLOP: Also promoted from Potomac to Chattanooga on Friday was pitcher Ty Howington.

The left-hander allowed nine runs and struck out 39 in his past six starts for the Cannons.

To make room on the Lookouts' roster, pitcher Bobby Basham was sent to Potomac.

The 23-year-old, taken in the seventh round of the 2001 draft, was 5-10 with a 5.17 ERA in 17 games at Chattanooga. He allowed 133 hits in 94 innings.

"His velocity isn't quite where it was," Naehring said. "He did show some arm strength in his last outing at Double-A, but we're going to take a little pressure off of him."

TIMES TWO: Chattanooga first baseman Dernell Stenson and pitcher Josh Hall were named the Southern League Hitter and Pitcher of the Week on Friday.

The 25-year-old Stenson batted .440 with 4 doubles, 3 homers and 7 RBI.

Hall was 2-0 with a 0.56 ERA, 20 strikeouts and three walks in two starts.

He followed his complete-game, 13-strikeout performance on July 18 against Mobile with a seven-inning, four-hit showing against Birmingham on Wednesday.

MORE SURGERY: Louisville pitcher Jeff Austin will undergo shoulder surgery next week.

The right-hander, who went 2-3 with an 8.58 ERA in seven games with the Reds earlier this season, was placed on the disabled list with a shoulder strain July 7. He was 4-2 with a 4.34 ERA in nine starts for Louisville.