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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI (AP) -- In the opener of their make-or-break series,
the Cincinnati Reds learned that luck is more a product of good
pitching than old-fashioned tailoring.
Some of the Reds hiked up their pants legs for good luck, then
used Denny Neagle's strong start and homers by Ken Griffey Jr. and
Dmitri Young to beat the St. Louis Cardinals 3-2 Monday night.
The Reds won for only the fifth time in 19 games, moving 7½
games behind the Cardinals in the NL Central. The division's top
two teams play seven times in 11 days, a span that could decide
Cincinnati's season.
|  | | Cincinnati's Ken Griffey Jr. showed a lot of sock with this first-inning home run, his 23rd of the season. |
There was a smidgen of desperation in the Reds dugout when they
took the field for the opener of the four-game series. Griffey,
Barry Larkin and Pokey Reese donned short-cut pants that showed off
their red socks, hoping to change the team's luck.
The move came one day after Larkin criticized his teammates'
lethargic play in a loss that left them teetering.
"It's huge," said Neagle (6-2), who went 7 2/3 innings. "You
don't want to panic and say it's make-or-break for us, but if those
guys would sweep or win three of four, obviously we'd be in a bad
situation.
"I didn't want to get a loss in that first one and all of a
sudden my name is going around in trade rumors. I've said it
before: I want to be around here."
Those shortened pants will stick around as long as the Reds win.
"Absolutely, dude," Larkin said. "I'm not superstitious or
anything, but are you kidding me?"
Griffey gave the crowd of 32,850 a sense that things were
turning around -- for one night, anyway -- by hitting a two-run homer
in the first off Garrett Stephenson. Young added a two-out homer to
right field in the fifth that stayed fair by a few feet and snapped
a 2-2 tie.
Stephenson (9-4), the NL Pitcher of the Month in May, has had
little luck in June. He's 1-4 in the month, with the Cardinals
scoring only 10 runs in his five starts.
"Early on, we were getting him runs and he was winning,"
manager Tony La Russa said. "Now he's pitching better and we're
not getting him any runs. He's running into good pitching every
time he goes out there."
Griffey's 23rd homer extended his hitting streak to 10 games and
left him fourth in the NL in homers. He has homered five times
during the streak.
"I made two mistakes, it was 3-2 and what can you say?"
Stephenson said. "I do the best I can and I don't ever give up.
That's why we're winning, because we never give up. That's what's
so good about this team."
Neagle kept his pants legs down and kept Mark McGwire down,
holding him to a single and two strikeouts in his first three
at-bats. McGwire, 3-for-18 career against the left-hander with nine
strikeouts, was still shaking his head when he reached the bat rack
after fanning in the fourth on a changeup.
"I've been able to have some success against him. I don't like
to talk about it," Neagle said. "He may be the best home run
hitter of all time. I just want to stay quiet and keep making good
pitches and hopefully he'll stay quiet."
McGwire's seventh-inning single to left over the Reds' infield
shift extended his hitting streak to 10 games. McGwire, who got
Sunday off, homered in each of his three previous games.
Neagle gave up seven hits, including Eric Davis' two-run homer
that tied it in the fourth. It was Davis' first homer since his
grand slam off Neagle on May 7 and fifth overall.
The Cardinals wasted several chances against Neagle as they lost
for only the third time in 14 games. McGwire took a called third
strike in the first and J.D. Drew was thrown out trying to steal
third, resulting in an inning-ending double play.
With two relievers warming up in the Reds bullpen, manager Jack
McKeon let Neagle face pinch-hitter Shawon Dunston with the bases
loaded and two outs in the seventh. Dunston flew out to Griffey in
center.
Neagle left to a standing ovation after Jim Edmonds got his
third single of the game with two outs in the eighth. Danny Graves
got McGwire to hit into an inning-ending forceout at second, then
finished for his 11th save in 12 chances.
Game
notes
Third baseman Fernando Tatis (groin) and RHP Dave Wainhouse
(shoulder) were sent to Triple-A Memphis on injury rehab
assignments. ... RHP John Ambrose was optioned to Double-A Arkansas
and RHP Mark Thompson was recalled from Memphis. ... Davis is
4-for-19 career off Neagle with three homers. ... Drew batted
leadoff for the first time this season, going 1-for-4. ... The Reds
called up reliever Scott Winchester from Triple-A Louisville. ...
With Reese slowed by a sprained ankle and Chris Stynes limited by a
pulled hamstring, McKeon had Larkin bat leadoff for the first time
since July 3, 1996 at St. Louis. Larkin was 0-for-4. ... Sean Casey
had three hits, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
St. Louis Clubhouse
Cincinnati Clubhouse
RECAPS
Minnesota 10
Anaheim 6
Detroit 13
Cleveland 2
NY Mets 10
Florida 5
Cincinnati 3
St. Louis 2
Colorado 15
San Francisco 6
Arizona 6
Houston 1
San Diego 9
Los Angeles 5
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Jack McKeon says good pitching is key for the Reds.
wav: 121 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Danny Graves wants the Reds to focus on tomorrow.
wav: 144 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
Denny Neagle hopes to be in Cincinnati for the postseason.
wav: 114 k
RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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