By John Fay
The Cincinnati Enquirer

CLEVELAND - The Reds are reeling. Really reeling. And manager Dave Miley is really mad as a result.

"We're talking about the same things," Miley said. "I'm not too happy about it. You've got to do things right. Some guys have to step up."

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Photos of Saturday's game

The Reds' three-game sweep at the hand of the Oakland A's has been followed by back-to-back bullpen implosions in Cleveland.

The Indians scored four runs in the eighth inning off three relievers to beat the Reds 8-7 at Jacobs Field.

It's the way the Reds have lost here that had Miley steamed. Two defensive lapses contributed to Indians rallies. Their four-run eighth inning was started by back-to-back, two-out walks.

"We let too many things happen," Miley said. "I don't care who it is, if you give major-league teams outs, it's going to hurt you."

Miley is hamstrung as far as the roster. Shortstop Barry Larkin was in Cincinnati because of an abdominal muscle strain. Infielder Juan Castro, pitcher Aaron Harang and outfielder Austin Kearns are on the disabled list.

"No one is feeling sorry for us," Miley said. "We've got to make basic ball plays."

Miley didn't name names, but said: "I've been known to put guys on the bench."

Closer Danny Graves gave up a run-tying single to Ronnie Belliard in the eighth. Then, after defensive lapse loaded the bases, Graves served up a three-run double to Coco Crisp that made the score 8-5.

The Reds scored two runs in the ninth to make it interesting. Their five-game losing streak equals a season high.

"It happened earlier in the year and we turned around and went on a winning streak," Graves said. "That's what good teams do."

The Reds are not looking like a very good team right now.

"We've been horrible,' Graves said, "in all aspects of game."

Reds starter Todd Van Poppel (3-2) went six innings, allowing four runs on seven hits. He left with bases loaded and a 5-2 lead.

Jason LaRue's three-run homer in the fourth was the big blow for the Reds offensively.

The Ken Griffey Jr. home run count remained at 498 for the fifth straight game. Griffey had his worst night in eight games. He went 0-for-4 with a walk, ending a season-high seven-game hitting streak. He struck out twice, popped out foul and a grounded out.

Van Poppel pitched a 1-2-3 first. Big deal, right? For Van Poppel, it was a very big deal. Over his last two starts, he had allowed seven runs in nine hits in the first inning. After the first, he limited the opposition to one run on six hits.

Van Poppel went 1-2-3 in the second and third as well.

The Reds left the bases loaded in the second and runners at first and third in the third.

LaRue crushed one to center that landed in the camera bay high above center - a 424-foot shot - for a three-run home in the fourth.

Matt Lawton led off the fourth with his ninth home run of the year.

The Reds opened it a little more in the fifth, scoring two on Jacob Cruz's two-out, two-run single that made it 5-1.

The Indians cut it to 5-2 in the fifth.

Van Poppel ran into some trouble in the seventh. Travis Hafner led off with a double. Belliard walked. Ben Broussard lofted one to center. It looked like Griffey's ball. But he pulled up and the ball fell over Jimenez's out-stretched glove on a single.

"That ball's got to be caught," Miley said. "It was in the air too long not to be caught. It will be addressed."

That ended Van Poppel's night.

Mike Matthews came in. He got Crisp to ground into RBI fielder's choice. The Reds brought in Todd Jones to face pinch-hitter Lou Merloni. Merloni got home another run with a sacrifice fly to make it 5-4.

Jones recorded the first two outs of the eighth, then walked Jody Blake. Phil Norton, who walked in winning run Friday night, came into to face Hafner. He walked him. (Norton would get the loss).

Graves came in to face Belliard. Belliard lined the first pitch he saw the middle to tie the game.

The next batter, Broussard, grounded a ball to Jimenez, who flipped to shortstop Felipe Lopez. Problem was his foot wasn't on the bag. Jimenez also could have charged the ball and thrown to first. Either way, the Reds are out of the inning.

"You've got to take the out," Miley.

It was all hands safe, bases loaded.

Grave fell behind Crisp 3-1. He took a strike, fouled one off, then lined a three-run double off the wall in the right.

"It was a fastball," Graves said. "I'm going to right after him. I'm not going to walk him."

It was Graves' second straight blown save and his sixth of the year.

Jimenez and Dunn doubled with two outs in the ninth. Cruz got Dunn home with a single. But Brandon Larson grounded out to end it.

Cincinnati	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Freel rf	3	0	0	0	2	0	.237
FLopez ss	5	0	0	0	0	1	.147
Casey 1b	4	1	1	0	1	0	.369
Griffey Jr. cf	4	1	0	0	1	2	.257
DJimenez 2b	2	2	2	0	3	0	.258
Dunn lf	5	1	3	1	0	1	.260
JaCruz dh	5	0	2	3	0	2	.273
Hummel pr	0	0	0	0	0	0	.184
Larson 3b	3	1	0	0	1	0	.226
LaRue c	4	1	2	3	0	0	.213
Totals	35	7	10	7	8	6

Cleveland	AB	R	H	BI	BB	SO	Avg.
Lawton lf	4	1	1	1	0	1	.319
Vizquel ss	4	0	1	0	0	0	.290
Gerut rf	4	0	1	0	0	1	.268
Blake 3b	3	1	0	0	1	0	.267
THafner dh	3	3	2	0	1	0	.312
Belliard 2b	3	2	2	2	1	0	.323
Broussard 1b	4	1	1	0	0	0	.242
Crisp cf	4	0	1	4	0	1	.252
SMartinez c	2	0	0	0	0	1	.000
Merloni ph	0	0	0	1	0	0	.270
Laker c	1	0	0	0	0	0	.149
Totals	32	8	9	8	3	4

Cincinnati	000	320	002	-7	10	0
Cleveland	000	110	24x	-8	9	0

LOB-Cincinnati 10, Cleveland 4. 2B-Casey (22), DJimenez (12), Dunn (10), Gerut (13), THafner 2 (20), Belliard (19), Crisp (8). HR-Lawton (9), off Van Poppel; LaRue (3), off Elarton. RBIs-Dunn (41), JaCruz 3 (15), LaRue 3 (16), Lawton (31), Belliard 2 (24), Crisp 4 (12), Merloni (9). SB-Freel (9), DJimenez (7), Crisp (7). CS-LaRue (2). SF-Merloni. GIDP-Larson. DP-Cincinnati 1, Cleveland 1.

Cincinnati	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Van Poppel	6	7	4	4	1	3	95	4.62
MMatthews H, 3	1/3	0	0	0	0	0	3	3.27
TJones H, 16	1 1/3	0	1	1	1	1	18	3.89
PNorton L, 0-2	0	0	1	1	1	0	6	4.70
Graves BS, 6	1/3	2	2	2	0	0	11	3.67

Cleveland	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	NP	ERA
Elarton	5	4	5	5	6	4	94	9.00
RiWhite	2/3	1	0	0	1	0	15	3.24
Bartosh	2/3	2	0	0	1	2	22	5.87
Miller	2/3	0	0	0	0	0	1	1.54
Betancourt W, 3-4	1	0	0	0	0	0	10	3.86
JJimenez S, 4	1	3	2	2	0	0	17	7.71

IBB-off Elarton (Griffey Jr.) 1. HBP-by Elarton (Larson). PB-05338.

Umpires-Home, Paul Schrieber; First, Matt Hollowell; Second, Lance Barksdale; Third, Jerry Meals.

T-2:58. A-42,101 (43,389).