Thursday, September 16, 2004
Easy on Claussen is hard on bullpen
Phillies 9, Reds 1
By John Fay
Enquirer staff writer
Brandon Claussen wants to make one thing very clear: "I don't want anyone to think I'm a five-inning pitcher," Claussen said.
He was that Wednesday in the Reds' 9-1 loss to the Philadelphia Phillies before a crowd of 16,292 at Great American Ball Park.
But that's only because Claussen (2-5) is on a strict pitch count. The first rule of Reds baseball seems to be: Claussen and Luke Hudson will not throw more that 100 pitches.
Wednesday, Claussen went five innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits.
After he was pulled, the bullpen allowed seven runs in four innings. Four of the five relievers allowed a run. The one who didn't, Todd Van Poppel, allowed two inherited runners to score.
Claussen threw only 86 pitches.
"We're not going to take a risk with him," Reds manager Dave Miley said.
Claussen is a little over two years removed from "Tommy John" surgery on his elbow, thus the caution.
"They're taking care of me this year," Claussen said, "so I can take care of them next year."
Claussen allowed an unearned run in the second inning Wednesday. The Phillies took the lead for good in the fourth on pitcher Brett Myers' two-out, 0-2 single.
"That's the one mistake pitch I made," Claussen said.
Claussen could have shut down the Phillies the rest of the way and the Reds still may have lost - it just didn't seem like their day from the start.
"It wasn't our best game," Miley said. "Any time your leadoff guy triples and doesn't score, it's a bad sign."
Ryan Freel started the bottom of the first with a triple.
Felipe Lopez followed with a popup five feet in front of the plate. First baseman Jim Thome and catcher Todd Pratt collided as Thome caught the ball - both later left the game.
When play resumed, Myers struck out Sean Casey, who was none too pleased.
He disappeared into the tunnel off the Reds' dugout. A little later, a sound similar to one the Jacobs Field drummer makes filled Great American.
It was Casey, taking it out on a trash can.
"I think it used to be a trash can," Miley said.
Said Casey: "At least I hit it."
The Reds managed only four hits off Myers and none off three Phillies relievers. The only Reds run scored on a Casey groundout in the third.
Phillies 9, Reds 1
E-CMiller (1), Machado (1), MMatthews (1). LOB-Philadelphia 9, Cincinnati 8. 2B-Michaels (7), Hinch (1), Byrd (11), Kearns (7). 3B-Freel (8). HR-Burrell (23), off Padilla. RBIs-Polanco (41), Michaels 2 (30), Burrell 2 (78), Glanville 2 (14), BMyers (1), Casey (91). S-Rollins. GIDP-Howard, Larkin.
DP-Philadelphia 1 (Rollins, Polanco and Howard); Cincinnati 1 (Casey, Machado and Casey).
Inherited runners-scored-Van Poppel 2-2.
IBB-off BMyers (Machado) 1. HBP-by BWagner (CMiller), by Myette (Polanco). WP-MMatthews.
T-2:46. A-16,292 (42,271).
