By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

CHICAGO - Reds bench coach/acting manager Jerry Narron knew something was amiss in the top of the seventh.

"We saw (Ramon) Martinez in the game (at shortstop)," Narron said. "But no one told us anything about a double switch."

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Narron went out after the half-inning and asked home plate umpire C.B. Bucknor if he had been told that Martinez was in the game.

"That was the first he knew of it," Narron said.

So after Martinez doubled to lead off the bottom of the seventh, Narron went out to talk to Bucknor and crew chief Mike Reilly.

Martinez was called out for batting out of order.

"This is the first time I've had a batting out-of-order situation," Reilly said. "They put in a new shortstop and pitcher (Kent Mercker). You've got to inform the home plate umpire of the double switch."

If the umpire is not informed, the players hit in the same spot as the player they replace. In Martinez's case that would have been the eighth spot, not the ninth.

Reilly said Cubs manager Dusty Baker told him he tried to signal Bucknor but couldn't get his attention.

Baker was ejected for arguing after the decision.

He joined Reds manager Dave Miley on the sideline.

Miley was ejected for arguing in the fourth after Sean Casey was called out on strikes. Miley wouldn't talk about what he said.

"Ask C.B. if he had a good day," Miley said. "I'll leave it at that."

Casey didn't think Miley deserved to get thrown out.

"He was protecting me," Casey said. "He didn't say anything to warrant (getting ejected)."

Casey rarely argues with officials.

"I'm not going to argue unless I believe I'm right," Casey said.

PHANTOM HBP: Austin Kearns was out of the lineup Friday. The reason?

"He's a little sore where that ball didn't hit him," Miley said.

What, you say?

In the second inning against Philadelphia on Thursday, Vicente Padilla threw a pitch up and in that umpire Angel Hernandez ruled hit the bat.

"He said he heard it hit the bat. It hit my hand," Kearns said. "I showed him the seam marks. I guess he thought I got hit in batting practice."

The bruising didn't get bad until later.

"But my hand was shaking when I showed it to him," Kearns said.

Kearns saw a hand specialist Friday. X-rays were taken and came back negative.

"He has a contusion," trainer Mark Mann said. "He's available to pinch hit."

Kearns' hand is most sore below his little finger.

"I wrap that pinkie around the knob when I hit," he said. "That's what really hurts."

ALSO OUT: Jason LaRue was also out of the lineup Friday. LaRue cut his right thumb and jammed his right wrist when he ran into the dugout railing trying to catch a foul pop-up Thursday.

ALSO OUT II: Barry Larkin missed his second straight start with a sore right forearm. Larkin pinch hit - twice - in the five-run sixth. He singled and struck out.

SPECIAL DAY: Today is the 50th anniversary of Chuck Harmon's major-league debut. Harmon became the Reds' first African-American player on April 17, 1954 when he popped out as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning of a 5-1 loss to the Milwaukee Braves.

The Reds will honor Harmon prior to Tuesday's 7:10 p.m. game against the Atlanta Braves.

DAYLIGHT DELIGHT: With the completion of the four-game series with the Cubs, the Reds will have played in eight straight day games.

That is the longest such streak since July 7-16 of 1962 when the Reds played nine straight day games, including two Sunday doubleheaders.

DEMPSTER UPDATE: Former Red Ryan Dempster is a member of the Chicago Cubs. They signed Dempster even though he was coming off Tommy John ligament-replacement surgery and won't pick up a baseball until after the All-Star Break, at the soonest.

Dempster said the Reds showed no interest in him.

"It's not really surprising with the direction they're going," Dempster said. "They don't want to take any risks."

UP NEXT: The Reds play the second game of the four-game series with the Cubs in a 2:20 p.m. game. The pitching matchup is the same as Opening Day - right-hander Cory Lidle (1-1, 4.50 ERA) faces right-hander Kerry Wood (2-0, 3.75).

REDS FACT: The Reds' team ERA of 2.79 was second in the National League before allowing 11 runs to the Cubs Friday afternoon.