By John Erardi
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Sean Casey hit a two-run home run in the first inning and Russell Branyan did the same thing in the eighth to support the five innings of two-hit ball thrown by starter Brian Reith (2-3) to beat the Expos 4-2 Saturday before 31,199 fans at Great American Ball Park.

Casey knows there are nay-sayers out there who think he should hit more home runs, given the position he plays.

First basemen are supposed to be boppers. But have you noticed how that criticism of Casey dries up whenever Adam Dunn or Austin Kearns or Ken Griffey Jr. are on a hot streak? (For example: earlier this season, when the Reds were on pace to obliterate the franchise single-season record for home runs, set by the Kluszewski-Robinson-Bell-Post Reds of 1956.)

"Everyone has a role on a team. You need some good hitters in the lineup," Casey said. "Look at the Anaheim Angels last year. Can you tell me the name of a home run hitter? Garret Anderson, maybe. How about the Yankees besides (Jason) Giambi? Bernie Williams can hit. Derek Jeter can hit. When you've got guys who can get on base, you produce big innings, and that's how you win games.

"A lot of times (earlier) this year, we relied on the ninth-inning three-run jack. You can't rely on that all the time."

Casey's home run was his 14th of the year, and his two RBI put him at 80 with one game left to play.

"I know guys who have a lot more home runs than I do, but I have more RBI," Casey said. "What good is a home run if you're not driving in runs? When guys are in scoring position, I feel like I'm gonna get 'em in. One year I had 13 home runs, but 89 RBI. Am I driving in runs, am I scoring runs, am I getting on base? I don't think about home runs any more."

Casey could change his approach to lift the ball more, but he likes knowing that with the game on the line, he can slap a pitch to left field or drive one up the middle to win the game.

"I'm glad you asked me that question about home runs, because that's exactly how I feel," Casey said.

Montreal	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Wilkerson cf	3	1	0	0	1	0	.266
Vidro 2b	4	0	1	0	0	2	.310
HMateo pr	0	1	0	0	0	0	.245
OCabrera ss	4	0	2	1	0	0	.298
VGuerrero rf	4	0	0	0	0	0	.328
WCordero 1b	2	0	1	1	2	0	.278
Carroll pr	0	0	0	0	0	0	.262
Calloway lf	4	0	0	0	0	1	.238
Zeile 3b	3	0	0	0	0	0	.261
Barrett c	3	0	1	0	0	0	.208
LHernandez p	3	0	0	0	0	0	.189
Totals	30	2	5	2	3	3

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Freel cf	4	0	0	0	0	0	.286
Olmedo ss	4	0	1	0	0	1	.243
DJimenez 2b	2	1	1	0	2	0	.290
Casey 1b	4	2	2	2	0	0	.291
Branyan 3b	4	1	2	2	0	0	.221
Reitsma p	0	0	0	0	0	0	.125
WPena rf	4	0	1	0	0	0	.222
Stenson lf	3	0	0	0	1	2	.234
CMiller c	3	0	0	0	0	2	.267
Reith p	2	0	0	0	0	0	.000
Riedling p	1	0	0	0	0	1	.222
JCastro 3b	0	0	0	0	0	0	.253
Totals	31	4	7	4	3	6

Montreal	000	000	002	-2	5	0
Cincinnati	200	000	02x	-4	7	0

LOB-Montreal 4, Cincinnati 6. 2B-OCabrera (47). HR-Branyan (9), off LHernandez; Casey (14), off LHernandez. RBIs-OCabrera (80), WCordero (71), Casey 2 (80), Branyan 2 (26). SB-WPena (3). GIDP-VGuerrero, Calloway.

DP-Cincinnati 2 (DJimenez, Olmedo and Casey), (JCastro, DJimenez and Casey).

Montreal	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
LHernandez L, 15-10	8	7	4	4	3	6	122	3.20

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Reith W, 2-3	5	2	0	0	2	1	70	4.11
Riedling H, 6	3	0	0	0	0	2	33	4.90
Reitsma	1	3	2	2	1	0	21	4.29

Umpires-Home, Mark Carlson; First, Paul Nauert; Second, Gerry Davis; Third, Ed Rapuano.

T-2:11. A-31,199 (42,263).