By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Dave Miley is not a rah-rah kind of guy. But he'll do a subtle bit of Knute Rockne when the occasion calls for it.

Thursday afternoon was such a time. Miley's Reds had been beaten pretty thoroughly for the second straight game by the Florida Marlins. The score was 5-2 Thursday, but the Reds had gone very quietly after the Marlins' four-run fifth.

The offense, so potent for the first eight games of the 10-game homestand, had produced two runs and seven hits over the last two days at home.

Miley went out of his way to pump up his club a bit.

"I told them to keep their heads up," he said. "It was a hell of a homestand - seven out of 10. ... (The players) are a little disappointed, but they shouldn't be. We're heading to Montreal in first place (in the NL Central)."

Still, after winning seven straight and 10 of 11, losing two stings.

"We are disappointed," shortstop Barry Larkin said. "You try to keep it in perspective: We lost the series (to the Marlins). You don't want to do that."

But the Reds are, indeed, in first in the Central at 27-20, a half-game up on Houston.

The four-game sweep of Houston that vaulted the Reds into first place is what Miley wants the players to remember.

"We did a lot of good things in the 10 games here," he said.

The schedule gets easier, as six of the next nine are against the Expos, who have the worst record in baseball at 15-31. Since April 29, the Reds have played seven of nine series against teams with records above .500.