Narron: Ortiz had a "great, great outing"

[CincyRedsFan30]

Lopez-led Reds split twinbill
Offense missing in 4-3 Game 1 loss revives for 11-6 win

By Hal McCoy

Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | Wily Mo Pena stood anchored at second base, a bright beacon, a solid billboard with a flashing message: "Move me over and drive me in."

It was a message unheeded by his Cincinnati Reds teammates and Pena could have gotten as much response if he had sent the message in a bottle and floated it down the Ohio River.

Pena opened the second inning with a double in Game 1 of Saturday's doubleheader against the Houston Astros. While on second, he became as immobile as the Statue of Liberty or the Washington Monument. He never budged.

And that said it all, set the stage for Game 1, a 4-3 loss that pushed the team's losing spell to six straight defeats.

The Reds stranded nine runners and were 1 for 10 with runners in scoring position, but manager Jerry Narron wasn't about to throw up his hands and say, "Ah, let's save time and give 'em the second game, too."

Instead, the Reds rebounded and ripped — an 11-6 victory in Game 2.

Narron, a wide-eyed optimist, looked at all those runners on base in recent games and dreams of runs in abundance. It doesn't happen, but he maintains hope.

"We had some guys on base and if we keep doing that we'll get hot and score a lot of runs and win some games," he said.

And in Game 2, it happened.

After starting pitcher Ramon Ortiz was raked for four runs in the first inning, the Reds dispensed the TNT in their bats and slugged away, spraying 14 hits around the premises and going 5-for-12 with runners in scoring position.

And they stranded only four.

Ortiz, pitching on two days of rest for the first time in his career, gave up a leadoff home run to Orlando Palmeiro during the four-run first, then shut the Astros down on no runs and five hits over the next five innings while the Reds sharpened their weapons.

"Since everybody had Ortiz out of the game there in the first, it was outstanding what he did," Narron said. "The first inning his breaking ball was flat, but he made some adjustments and turned it into a great, great outing."

Said Ortiz, "Everyone was hitting everything in the first inning. You just have to keep going out and don't think about the first inning, keep the ball down and make the pitches."

Felipe Lopez, 0 for 5 in Game 1, homered to lead off the bottom of the first and finished with a homer, triple and two singles. Adam Dunn's 21st homer provided a couple of runs, too.

Ken Griffey Jr. put the finishing touches on the demise of the six-game losing streak with a two-run homer in the eighth, the 516th of his career and pushed his career RBI total to 1,497 during his 17th inning of Saturday activity.

"Every one of our starters had hits," Narron said about Game 2. "Over the last week we've lost three one-run games and we've been in position to win them and just haven't got the big hit. Tonight we did and if we keep getting men on base it is going to be more like tonight than it has been."

Said Lopez, who needed a double in his last at-bat for the cycle, settled for a run-scoring single in the eighth and said, "I knew it (that he needed a double) and I tried."

The score was 1-1 in Game 1 when Pena led the second with a double. Neither Jason LaRue nor Jason Romano could even advance him one base, both grounded out to the left side, then pitcher Aaron Harang grounded out.

And Game 1 continued that way. Two of their four runs came on home runs by Rich Aurilia and Pena, but both were with the bases lonely.

The Reds led, 3-2, after six innings, but Harang gave up three straight hits to open the seventh, including a run-scoring double by Chris Burke and a game-winning sacrifice fly by pinch-hitter Palmeiro.

"I hit a little bump right there (the seventh)," said Harang, 0-5 in June/July to drop his record to 4-7. "I made some pitches early in the game that I thought were good and he (umpire Larry Young) didn't give me some calls. So I felt I had to throw it over the plate to be able to get anything to happen."

Harang said Young wasn't giving the corners, neither to him nor his opponent, Wandy Rodriguez.

"He (Rodriguez) was complaining and I tried not to complain because that usually puts you in a bigger hole," Harang said. "But it didn't matter."

[BigRedMachine]

Now maybe the team can remain with a more stable lineup and continue to get runs. Get Randa back in there and allow them to get some time at the plate in one hitting spot. Your mind changes it's approach when you continue to change spots in the lineup. Time to leave them alone and let them hit. It isn't like they are going anywhere if it doesn't work. Great game tonight, now let's see how they do on the West Coast road trip.

[missionhockey21]

Ortiz really did have a great outing. Pitching on two day's rest is a lot to ask and other than 1st inning, he was pretty damn good. I am not trying to say anything on how he is or isn't a quality pitcher because he isn't, but I do admire someone going out like that on short rest.

[CincyRedsFan30]

It was gutsy, but I don't consider that a "great" outing. 6 ER in less than 7 IP isn't good. He gave up 2 more ER in less than 6 IP after the first. That alone wouldn't even qualify for a Quality Start.

[missionhockey21]

On two days rest that is a lot to ask of a pitcher who has some mileage on their arm. 5 ER in 6 2/3 is not a great performance and I really did not mean to imply it, but it was a great showing of determination and that's what I enjoy seeing.

[CincyRedsFan30]

I do agree with that. I know what you mean, I just wouldn't classify the outing as "great" as Narron did. It wasn't awful given the circumstances and was a lot to ask of him, but I still wouldn't call it "great".