Reds look to prove doubters wrong
Larkin and Co. believe Cincy for real
By Joe Frisaro / MLB.com |
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Doubters take note: The Reds showed no signs of stumbling in their three-game sweep of the Marlins.
Boosted by Larkin's home run and two RBIs Thursday, Cincinnati knocked off the Marlins, 4-1, at Pro Player Stadium.
The Reds wrapped up the road trip with a 4-2 record and a two-game edge over the Cardinals in the NL Central. They now head home to face the Braves.
Despite being in first place, Larkin doesn't believe critics think the Reds are for real.
"Oh, they're expecting us to fall off," the 17-year veteran shortstop said. "That's motivation for a lot of guys."
St. Louis, winners of eighth of 10, certainly have heated up the Central race.
While few doubted the Reds' ability to hit, many wondered if they had enough pitching. The answer, in the Florida series, at least, was yes.
Jimmy Haynes (5-5) turned in an impressive performance on Thursday evening, holding the Marlins to one run in 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander effectively kept pitches down and worked out of jams in the first and sixth innings by getting double plays.
The Marlins managed to scratch out just six hits. Leaving a fastball up on a 3-1 count, which led to Derrek Lee's seventh-inning, 432-foot homer to center, was Haynes' only crucial mistake. And Cincinnati was up 3-0 at the time, which minimized the solo shot's impact.
Taking early leads was the Reds' common thread in all three wins. A two-run second inning gave Haynes a little breathing room on Thursday, and he never really struggled.
"It helps a lot," Haynes said of pitching with the lead. "It takes a little pressure off you and puts a little pressure on the other team. I worked out of jams a couple of times. The double plays were big for me."
After Florida's Luis Castillo led off with a walk in the first, Haynes got Andy Fox to bounce into a 3-6 double play.
In the second, the Reds offense went to work for a pair of runs, assisted by Eric Owens' error in right field.
Adam Dunn, who went 3-for-4, singled to start the inning. Sean Casey followed with another single, and Aaron Boone reached on a walk. Larkin then lofted a fly ball to right that Owens misplayed and dropped.
 Barry Larkin / SS | |
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"I think [the early lead] is big for our pitchers," Larkin said. "It gives them some comfort knowing we can score some runs for them."
Some of the road trip's home run heroics came from players who have been struggling at the plate. Boone, who is batting only .214, belted three home runs in the previous two games.
And, though he currently has a modest five-game hitting streak, Larkin had managed only nine hits in 57 at-bats before Thursday's opposite-field homer off Kevin Olsen, who tossed a cutter on the outside of the plate that Larkin was able to drive over the right field wall.
"I'm struggling," admitted Larkin, who is batting .223.
The long ball helped the Reds throughout the series. It provided insurance in the ninth inning Thursday, as Dunn belted his 11th of the season off Oswaldo Mairena. It was the Reds' fifth homer in the three-game series.
The Reds are now 16-12 in May and 17-12 overall on the road.
"After losing two of three at Atlanta [to start the trip], we came in here looking for a couple of wins," Haynes said. "And we got three."
After losing five of six in the season series to Cincinnati, Marlins manager Jeff Torborg believes the Reds are division contenders.
"They are awfully good," Torborg said. "They can hit. They deserve to be where they are now."
Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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