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Reds, Harang fail to get away with a win
Wigginton hits two of Houston's three solo home runs; Cincinnati starter has given up 29 longballs this season.
Friday, August 29, 2008
HOUSTON — The reasons the Cincinnati Reds are so far out in left field they are not visible to the naked eye would fill a thick ledger.
Reds manager Dusty Baker came up with Reason No. 325, one most baseball fans never have considered.
"If you win most of your getaway-day games, you'll be in the hunt," he said. And he said it before the Reds dropped their third straight getaway-day game on this three-city trip 3-2 to the Houston Astros on Thursday, Aug. 28.
To those uninitiated, a getaway-day game is the last game of a series on the road before the visiting team leaves town — and with the Reds it is usually with their tails tucked.
The Reds were 1-1 in the first two games of each series on this trip to Chicago, Denver and Houston. If they had won the getaway game each time, they would have finished 6-3. Instead they lost all three and were 3-6.
For the season, the Reds are 8-13 on getaway day. All three getaway-day losses on this trip were by one run — 3-2 in Chicago, 4-3 in 12 innings in Denver and 3-2 in Houston.
"It was something I emphasized to the team during spring training," Baker said. "Winning on the last day sometimes prevents sweeps, sometimes puts you in a sweep position, but most of the time it determines whether you win or lose a series because most series are three games.
"It's the toughest game to play, especially the last game of a trip," Baker added. "Guys think about going home after being on the road a long time (10 days this time). I guess what you have to do is pretend you're not going home or not going to the next city.
"I reminded some of the guys today that even though it was getaway day they needed to bear down," Baker added. "If you win the majority of your getaway days I guarantee you you'd be in the hunt."
He forgot to emphasize that bats are needed to win.
On Thursday the Reds faced right-hander Brandon Backe. On Aug. 6, he gave up 11 earned runs in 3 1/3 innings to the Cubs. On Aug. 16, he gave up 11 earned runs in 5 2/3 innings to the Diamondbacks. On Thursday he gave up no earned runs to the Reds in six innings and two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings.
Cincinnati starter Aaron Harang gave up seven hits in seven innings, walked none and struck out nine. But three of the hits were solo home runs, two to Ty Wigginton, "The only two mistakes I made all day," he said, and one to catcher Humberto Quintero.
"Aaron threw a great game, other than three solo home runs," said Baker. "We have to show more offense than that. Quintero hits his second home run, both against us.
"We're getting good pitching now and we just have to figure out a way to get some more base hits (they had 17 hits in three games in Houston)," said Baker.
Rookie Chris Dickerson learned a hard lesson in the sixth when he was on first base with two outs and the Reds down 2-0. After a pitch, he put his head down and walked back to first base. Quintero snapped a throw to first that picked off Dickerson.
"We have to remain alert on the bases and alert, period," Baker said. "We have to increase intensity and increase alertness. We told them before the game, 'This guy (Quintero) likes to throw over.' Our coaches try to prepare 'em as best as possible.
"You have to always know where the ball is. This is part of the learning process we must continue to teach. Some of these things you figure the guys know already, especially if you've already warned them," Baker added.
Dickerson was sheepishly embarrassed and said he thought he was going to steal, but when it was decided to let Jeff Keppinger hit away, he didn't take as big a lead and relaxed too much.
"It is so basic and so fundamental — keep your head up and be alert at all times," said Dickerson. "I was lazy and lackadaisical. I just didn't anticipate a throw. The way the game turned out (one-run defeat) made it a big, big play."
The game ended pathetically, just as Wednesday's ended pathetically — Houston closer Jose Valverde striking out the side.
On Thursday, he made it six strikeouts in a row, throwing nothing but fastballs to whiff Joey Votto on three pitches, Brandon Phillips on a fastball in his eyes and Jay Bruce on a 97 miles an hour exclamation point.
"We have to cut down on strikeouts," said Baker after his team struck out 10 times again — the fourth straight game with 10 or more strikeouts. "I know I have a young team and they are tricking them, often catching them looking for something else. But Valverde threw all fastballs — a lot of them up in the zone, just teasing us in the top of the zone."
