By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Reds' Kelly Stinnett, right, argues with umpire Jeff Nelson, left, after being called out on strikes during the second inning. (AP photo) | ZOOM |

SAN DIEGO - Reds manager Dave Miley is a nice guy, but his aversion to finishing last pushed him to say some not-so-nice things about his players Sunday.

"Not to be harsh," he said, "but guys are getting the opportunity to produce. They're going to be evaluated by that. It's a harsh game."

The Reds lost to the San Diego Padres 2-0 Sunday afternoon before a crowd of 24,141 at Qualcomm Park.

The loss wrapped up a 1-5 trip, where the Reds scored a total of six runs in the five losses. Sunday's shutout was their second in three games.

"It's been pretty much the same for every game," Miley said. "I've got to find another way to work for opportunities, chances."

The Reds wasted another good pitching performance. Danny Graves went six innings, allowing the two runs on 10 hits.

"You can't get much better pitching than we got on the road trip," Miley said. "And here we are talking about going 1-5. We've got to come up with a big hit. It's not for lack of trying. It's lack of production."

Graves echoed similar thoughts.

"That's the way the year's gone so far," Graves said. "The position players feel worse about that than I do. It's frustrating. Everyone was so down on the pitching. Then when we get the pitching, we don't score."

Miley has used the words "big hit" after every loss. One big hit Sunday likely would have turned the loss into a win.

The missed opportunities:

• Brandon Larson took a called third strike with runners on first and second and two outs in the first.

• Adam Dunn flied to left with runners at first and second and two outs in the third inning.

• In the fourth, Larson reached on an error and stole second to start the inning. Kelly Stinnett, Reggie Taylor and Juan Castro went out in order.

• D'Angelo Jimenez doubled, Barry Larkin walked and Ruben Mateo singled to load the bases with one out in the fifth. But Dunn struck out swinging and Larson grounded back to the pitcher, ending the Reds' best scoring chance.

• Taylor singled and stole second in the sixth. But Castro grounded out, and Graves popped foul to the catcher.

• Dunn walked to lead off the eighth. Larson grounded out, moving Dunn to second. He moved to third on a wild pitch. But Stinnett struck out and Taylor flied out.

• Ray Olmedo walked with one out in the ninth. Jimenez bunted for a single. But pinch-hitters Sean Casey lined out and Russell Branyan struck out.

With injuries to Ken Griffey Jr. and Austin Kearns, and the trades of Aaron Boone and Jose Guillen, Mateo, Taylor, Wily Mo Pena and Larson are getting a good look.

"It's like September call-ups in August," Miley said. "They're getting opportunities they're not going to have any other time. The guys who run with it will be successful."

Graves (4-13) had a shutout through five. He allowed back-to-back singles to start the sixth. He struck out Ryan Klesko. Rondell White got a run in with a single to left.

Graves then threw a double-play ball to Sean Burroughs. Jimenez's throw was not a great one and Dunn dropped the ball at first.

The gift cost a run when Gary Bennett followed with an RBI single.

Two runs were more than enough.

"The way we're pitching," Miley said, "we're not asking for six, seven, eight runs."

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
DJimenez 2b	5	0	2	0	0	0	.320
Larkin ss	2	0	1	0	2	0	.285
Mercker p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Riedling p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.235
Casey ph	1	0	0	0	0	0	.296
RMateo rf	4	0	3	0	0	0	.250
Branyan ph	1	0	0	0	0	1	.239
Dunn 1b	2	0	0	0	2	1	.213
Larson lf	4	0	0	0	0	1	.117
Stinnett c	4	0	0	0	0	2	.255
Taylor cf	4	0	1	0	0	0	.199
JCastro 3b	4	0	0	0	0	0	.252
Graves p	3	0	0	0	0	1	.120
Olmedo ss	0	0	0	0	1	0	.291
Totals	34	0	7	0	5	6

San Diego	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
RVazquez ss	4	0	0	0	0	0	.260
Kotsay cf	4	0	2	0	0	0	.263
Loretta 2b	4	1	2	0	0	0	.325
Nevin rf	3	1	2	0	0	0	.258
Matthews rf	1	0	0	0	0	0	.272
Klesko 1b	4	0	2	0	0	1	.253
White lf	4	0	3	1	0	0	.275
Burroughs 3b	4	0	1	0	0	1	.282
Bennett c	3	0	1	1	1	0	.190
Lawrence p	2	0	0	0	0	1	.239
Hansen ph	1	0	0	0	0	0	.236
Hackman p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Witasick p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Beck p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Totals	34	2	13	2	1	3

Cincinnati	000	000	000	-0	7	0
San Diego	000	002	00x	-2	13	1

E-RVazquez (11). LOB-Cincinnati 12, San Diego 9. 2B-DJimenez (7), Kotsay (17), White (12). RBIs-White (59), Bennett (17). SB-Larson (2), Taylor (7), Bennett (1). CS-Loretta (3). GIDP-RMateo, Loretta.

Runners left in scoring position-Cincinnati 8 (Branyan, Dunn, Larson 3, Taylor, JCastro, Graves); San Diego 7 (Nevin, Bennett 2, Lawrence 2, Hansen 2).

Runners moved up-Larson, Taylor, JCastro.

DP-Cincinnati 1 (Olmedo, DJimenez and Dunn); San Diego 1 (Loretta, Klesko and RVazquez).

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Graves L, 4-13	6	10	2	2	1	3	104	5.25
Mercker	1 1/3	2	0	0	0	0	15	2.35
Riedling	2/3	1	0	0	0	0	8	4.96

San Diego	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Lawrence W, 6-14	6	6	0	0	2	4	87	4.55
Hackman H, 11	1	0	0	0	2	0	19	3.65
Witasick H, 7	1	0	0	0	0	1	13	3.33
Beck S, 16	1	1	0	0	1	1	22	1.82

Hackman pitched to 1 batter in the 8th.

Inherited runners-scored-Riedling 1-0, Witasick 1-0.

WP-Witasick.

T-2:43. A-24,141 (66,307).

How the runs scored in Sunday's game between the Reds and the Padres

Padres sixth. Loretta singled to left. Nevin singled to right, Loretta to second. Klesko struck out. White singled to left, Loretta scored, Nevin to second. Burroughs grounded into fielder's choice, shortstop Larkin to second baseman Jimenez, Nevin to third, White out. Bennett singled to right, Nevin scored, Burroughs to third. Hansen pinch-hitting for Lawrence.Bennett stole second. Hansen fouled out to catcher Stinnett. 2 runs, 4 hits, 0 errors, 2 left on. Padres 2, Reds 0.