Power goes out, but not in Reds bats

[CincyRedsFan30]

Reds light up Brewers

By Kyle Nagel

Dayton Daily News

CINCINNATI | Perhaps sensing the home Cincinnati Reds needed a break on the sticky and energy-draining night, a transformer alongside the Ohio River decided to do the honors.

Before the seventh inning on Friday, Great American Ball Park went dark, victim of the blown transformer.

For 25 minutes, the Reds and Milwaukee Brewers sat in their dugouts as workers manually switched power to the 3-year-old stadium.

Fortunately for the Reds, in spite of the rest, they stayed hot, especially their trade-rumored left fielder. Adam Dunn cranked two home runs, including a 464-foot, two-run beast in the seventh that nearly left the park as the Reds topped the Milwaukee Brewers, 11-6.

It was the Reds' third straight win and sixth in eight games since returning from the All-Star break.

"I think everybody knows that if we get guys going at the same time, we can score some runs," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "We just need to not lie down once we score runs."

With a Pittsburgh Pirates loss earlier in the night, the Reds left the basement of the National League's Central Division after occupying that space for 40 straight days. They now stand fifth in the six-team division.

But they aren't climbing fast. Entering Friday, five of the six NL Central teams had won seven of their previous 10 games (Pittsburgh limped along at 2-8). Of baseball's other 24 teams, only four managed .500 or better records in the past 10.

"That's the first I've heard of it," said third baseman Joe Randa of the advancement in the standings. "We're focused on playing consistent baseball, one day at a time."

At 9:09 p.m., the lights across the ballpark flickered and regained only about half strength. Umpires cleared the field, and about five minutes later more lights cut off.

Then, for nearly 30 minutes, the stadium went through different levels of electric activity. Sometimes the video board would turn on, sometimes the scoreboard. For awhile, the sound system cut out.

All the while, most of the 21,370 in attendance remained. Some cheered, "Put the lights on!" A small continent started a "Who dey" chant, and Take Me Out to the Ball Game came from some seats on the third-base line.

By 9:30, most of the overhead stadium lights began easing back to life and umpires met with Narron and Reds pitching coach Vern Ruhle. After a short conference, the Reds came out defensively for the seventh inning.

Play resumed shortly thereafter, despite a blank scoreboard and video board.

Officials later announced that attempts to fix a power outage at Paul Brown Stadium, which occurred at about 8 p.m., likely caused the problem at GABP.

There was no problem with the Reds' offense, which hit four homers (two from Dunn and one each from Felipe Lopez and Randa). The Reds also got their most extra-base hits (10) in three seasons.

"Our offense is clicking on all cylinders now," Randa said. "There are going to be fun days ahead for this team."

The Brewers opened with two runs in the first on a Geoff Jenkins two-RBI double with two outs.

The Reds countered with one in the first and two more in the second on a Randa ground-rule double into the seats along the right-field line to go up 3-2.

It was Randa's second double on a night during which he went 3-for-5 against his hometown Brewers.

Randa was born in Milwaukee and helped win a state basketball title in 1988 for Kettle-Moraine High School in Wales, Wis., about 30 miles west of Milwaukee.

Milwaukee tied the game at 3 in the third, but Adam Dunn gave the Reds another lead in the bottom of the inning with a 393-foot solo home run to right, his 26th of the season. He blasted his 27th four innings later.

In the fifth, catcher Javier Valentin snuck a double past a diving Jenkins in right field to score Ken Griffey Jr. and Dunn and open the Reds' lead to 6-3.

Reds starter Ramon Ortiz earned his third win in four decisions (3-0 in that stretch) to even his season record to 6-6.

The right-hander has won four of his last six decisions after starting the season 1-4.

Contact Kyle Nagel at 225-7389

[awefullspellare]

Heh stupid people at Paul Brown! Is that where the Bengalis play?

[CincyRedsFan30]

It sure is.

[Geki Ace]

Man, I sure don't like the Bengals. Stupid, stupid Bengals.