By Kevin Kelly and John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Danny Graves entered Tuesday leading the major leagues in saves. But it was a cleaning company employee in San Diego that provided the best save of Graves' season thus far.

The Reds closer lost his wallet while riding the team bus from the San Diego airport to a hotel May 10. On Monday, a package arrived at Graves' home in Florida.

"I get a call and my wife says, 'Your wallet just got mailed here,' " Graves said.

PHOTO GALLERY

Photos of Tuesday's game

An employee named Jose found the wallet, which contained $1,400 in cash, credit cards, identification and other personal items, while cleaning the bus the Reds used.

He mailed it to the address listed on Graves' driver's license and replaced the cash with traveler's checks, minus $26 to overnight the package.

A letter accompanying the package provided a name, address and phone number for the good-hearted employee and requested one autograph in return.

"He's going to get a little bit more than that," Graves said. "It's just amazing. In this day and age you don't think people, if they see a bunch of money in a wallet, are going to send it back."

In addition to autographs and other such items, Graves plans to send some of the returned money to the cleaning company employee as a reward and thanks.

"Good things are going to happen to that guy," Graves said. "I truly believe it."

BULLPEN TURNAROUND: Though Brian Reith allowed back-to-back solo home runs in the seventh inning of Tuesday's 8-3 loss against Colorado, Cincinnati relievers have a 1.39 ERA in the past 13 games. That has lowered the bullpen's ERA from a 6.00 high to 4.22.

"It seems when most of the guys are doing well everybody else pretty much follows suit," said left-hander Phil Norton, who pitched a perfect ninth Tuesday.

FAMILIAR FACE: Tim Hummel started his seventh consecutive game at third base Tuesday.

Recalled from Triple-A Louisville on May 9, he has at least one hit in five of his starts and is batting .222 with four RBI and no fielding errors.

"I wouldn't say I'm relaxed," said Hummel, one of four Reds to start a game at third base this season. "I'm just trying to stay confident and focused, have good at-bats and make the routine plays."

STAT CORNER: One of the keys to success for pitchers is throwing first-pitch strikes. According to Stats Inc., the best at doing that this year entering Tuesday have been Curt Schilling (70.4 percent) and Greg Maddux (68.6). Reds starter Jose Acevedo is in the top five in the category (66.9).

According to Stats Inc., major leaguers are hitting .240 after first-pitch strikes and .274 after first-pitch balls.

More from Stats Inc.:

• The Reds have faced 251 0-2 counts, third-most in the majors.

• The Reds are batting a major league-low .126 after falling behind 0-2.

• Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey Jr. are a combined 1-for-34 with 19 strikeouts after falling behind 0-2.

LATE NIGHT WITH CASEY: It hasn't been finalized, but it looks as if Sean Casey will be a guest on the Late Show with David Letterman June 21.

"That's a big one," Casey said. "I was watching to get any idea of what it would be like. He'll definitely lock me up with a question."

The Reds have an off day in New York on June 21.

"Letterman wanted him," Reds media relations director Rob Butcher said. "They have talent bookers. But Letterman requested Case."

LARSON UPDATE: Third baseman Brandon Larson, on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left quadriceps, worked out with the team before Tuesday's game.

He hit, fielded ground balls and ran the bases, and will do the same again today.

"He's had a little soreness and complaints of stiffness at times," Reds head trainer Mark Mann said before the game. "We'll just see how he reacts to it and go from there."

FARM REPORT: Matt Belisle, a 23-year-old right-hander, had his roughest outing for Triple-A Louisville Monday night in a 7-6 loss at Buffalo. He allowed seven runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Left-hander Charlie Manning allowed one run on six hits in seven innings in Double-A Chattanooga's 2-1 win vs. Jacksonville.

UP NEXT: The Reds play the Rockies in the second game of the three-game series today at 7:10 p.m. Reds right-hander Jose Acevedo (2-3, 5.53 ERA) faces Rockies right-hander Jason Jennings (2-5, 9.07).

REDS FACT: Entering Tuesday's games, Barry Larkin was the only shortstop in the majors without an error.

Reds statistics

(Through Monday's game)

BATTERS	AVG	OBA	AB	R	H	2B	3B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	SB	CS	E
Casey	.374	.411	139	23	52	15	1	4	25	9	12	1	0	1
Dunn	.301	.490	113	28	34	6	0	11	24	41	41	2	0	2
Larkin	.288	.331	132	20	38	6	1	1	12	9	19	2	0	0
Larson	.278	.350	36	4	10	3	0	1	5	4	6	0	0	5
Freel	.274	.358	106	13	29	3	5	1	6	8	21	7	3	4
Hummel	.261	.308	23	1	6	1	0	0	4	2	3	0	0	0
Castro	.258	.310	66	10	17	3	1	1	8	5	15	0	0	4
Griffey	.248	.353	129	21	32	8	0	8	26	20	30	1	0	0
Cruz	.241	.333	29	5	7	2	0	0	5	4	13	0	0	0
Jimenez	.209	.327	139	20	29	7	0	3	14	24	27	2	2	3
LaRue	.197	.308	66	8	13	4	0	1	10	8	15	0	1	3
Pena	.182	.265	44	3	8	1	1	1	5	4	22	0	0	0
Valentin	.167	.200	60	5	10	2	0	2	7	3	6	0	0	3
Kearns	.137	.290	51	7	7	2	1	2	5	10	15	1	0	1
Romano	.067	.176	15	1	1	0	0	0	0	2	7	0	0	0
Team totals	.244	.341	1232	172	301	66	10	36	159	167	298	16	6	27

PITCHERS	W	L	ERA	G	GS	SV	IP	H	R	ER	HR	BB	SO
Matthews	0	0	0.00	1	0	0	0.1	1	1	0	0	1	0
Riedling	1	0	0.47	18	0	0	19.0	10	3	1	0	5	14
Graves	1	3	2.91	22	0	17	21.2	21	11	7	6	4	14
Van Poppel	2	1	3.27	8	2	0	22.0	21	8	8	1	7	12
Wilson	5	0	3.99	8	8	0	49.2	58	24	22	7	14	26
Harang	4	1	4.57	8	8	0	45.1	53	23	23	6	18	36
Jones	2	1	4.57	20	0	0	21.2	19	11	11	1	10	16
Lidle	2	3	4.70	8	8	0	51.2	49	28	27	6	10	30
Acevedo	2	3	5.53	7	7	0	40.2	39	26	25	8	12	34
Norton	0	0	5.68	17	0	0	12.2	16	9	8	2	5	7
Wagner	1	1	7.30	14	0	0	12.1	22	12	10	2	9	8
Reith	0	1	7.50	12	0	0	12.0	15	10	10	1	9	13
Team totals	20	17	4.67	37	37	17	324.0	350	183	168	43	111	218