By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

ST. LOUIS - Here's how you know your team has gotten too young: When you go shopping for women's clothing for the annual rookie hazing plane ride and it costs you $740.

"That's a lot of money," said Juan Castro, the designated shopper. "It's something to give a smile, laugh."

The Reds clubhouse has been a few yuks shy of a gag fest lately. Sunday was no exception. The Reds lost 9-0 to the St. Louis Cardinals and Matt Morris before a crowd of 34,389 at Busch Stadium. It was the Reds' 11th loss in 13 games.

Afterward 14 rookies - half of the roster - dressed in short shorts, halters and mini dresses for the trip home to Cincinnati. It was not a pretty sight. Imagine, if you will, 6-foot-7, 240-pound Aaron Harang in a white terry cloth dress.

The dressing in drag gag is a major league tradition. But it's usually limited to three or four players. Fourteen might be a record.

"It's got to be," Castro said.

While the Reds may have disturbed people walking through the airport, putting such a young club on the field is even more alarming.

Matt Belisle made his big league debut Sunday. He was the 12th player to do so. He was the 55th player and 29th pitcher to appear for the Reds, extending the club record on both counts.

The team has been shut out five times in its last 28 games.

Sunday, the Cardinals took a 3-0 lead off Seth Etherton in the first, and never looked back.

With Morris' sinker working, the Reds' makeshift lineup was overwhelmed.

"It's pretty rough when you do that in the first," Etherton said. "I gave all the momentum to Matt Morris."

Morris had a no-hitter and allowed only one base-runner through six innings. Castro singled to start the seventh.

"(Morris') sinker was really tough," Tim Hummel said. "He was getting it on guys. It was just tough to handle."

The Reds ended up with three hits. Castro doubled in the eighth, the only runner to get into scoring position for the Reds on the day.

"We're putting the best eight out there," Reds manager Dave Miley said. "The last two days, obviously, haven't been pretty."

But that's what happens when you have 14 rookies.

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Valent rf	4	0	0	0	0	0	.235
JCastro ss	4	0	2	0	0	0	.259
DJimenez 2b	4	0	0	0	0	3	.309
Branyan 1b	4	0	0	0	0	1	.207
Stenson lf	3	0	0	0	0	1	.271
Hummel 3b	2	0	0	0	1	0	.229
LaRue c	3	0	0	0	0	1	.227
WPena cf	3	0	1	0	0	0	.196
Etherton p	1	0	0	0	0	1	.167
PNorton p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Smitherman ph	1	0	0	0	0	0	.182
Belisle p	0	0	0	0	0	0	---
Olmedo ph	1	0	0	0	0	1	.255
Reith p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Totals	30	0	3	0	1	8

St. Louis	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Vina 2b	6	2	4	0	0	0	.280
JDrew cf	3	1	2	1	1	0	.293
1-Taguchi pr-cf	1	0	0	0	0	0	.294
Pujols lf	3	2	1	0	1	0	.365
Rolen 3b	4	0	0	0	0	1	.283
TMartinez 1b	4	1	2	2	1	0	.276
Renteria ss	5	1	2	3	0	1	.327
OPalmeiro rf	5	1	2	2	0	1	.266
Matheny c	4	1	3	1	1	0	.247
Morris p	5	0	0	0	0	0	.191
Totals	40	9	16	9	4	3

Cincinnati	000	000	000	-0	3	1
St. Louis	300	110	13x	-9	16	0

E-Hummel (1). LOB-Cincinnati 4, St. Louis 13. 2B-JCastro (12), Vina (13), TMartinez (22), Renteria (40), OPalmeiro (10), Matheny (17). HR-Matheny (6), off Belisle; OPalmeiro (3), off Etherton. RBIs-JDrew (35), TMartinez 2 (66), Renteria 3 (86), OPalmeiro 2 (31), Matheny (42). GIDP-JDrew.

Runners left in scoring position-Cincinnati 1 (Branyan); St. Louis 6 (Vina 2, TMartinez, Renteria, Morris 2).

Runners moved up-DJimenez, Morris.

DP-Cincinnati 1 (DJimenez, JCastro and Branyan).

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Etherton L, 2-3	4 2/3	10	5	5	3	2	100	5.67
PNorton	1/3	0	0	0	0	0	5	6.14
Belisle	2	2	1	1	1	0	46	4.50
Reith	1	4	3	2	0	1	28	4.88

St. Louis	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Morris W, 10-6	9	3	0	0	1	8	100	3.58

Inherited runners-scored-PNorton 1-0.

IBB-off Etherton (Matheny) 1. HBP-by Belisle (Rolen), by Etherton (Pujols).

Umpires-Home, Scott Nelson; First, Jerry Layne; Second, Gary Darling; Third, Marvin Hudson.

T-2:29. A-34,389 (50,354).