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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
ATLANTA (AP) -- The lights went out as the Atlanta Braves came to
bat in the final inning -- hardly a good omen for a team that has
short-circuited over the past month.
Ken Griffey Jr.'s two-run single in the seventh put Cincinnati
ahead, and the Reds shook off a 12-minute delay in the ninth to
send the Braves to another loss, 4-2 Tuesday night.
|  | | The Braves' Andres Galarraga scores the first run of the game in the fourth inning on a Javy Lopez single. |
Atlanta squandered a 2-0 lead and a chance to break a
first-place tie with the Mets in the NL East. New York was routed
by the Houston Astros 11-1.
"The bottom line is we're still tied with the Mets," said
Braves reliever Mike Remlinger, who gave up three runs in the
seventh after Andy Ashby left the game because of a blister. "As
bad as it may seem, it's not that bad."
The Braves have lost two straight to Cincinnati and five of
their last six -- all at Turner Field. Overall, they are just 13-14
in August.
"We're playing decent baseball right now. But the ball has got
to fall your way occasionally," manager Bobby Cox said. "I have
no complaints about the guys. They have gotten us to this point."
The stadium lights flickered and then went out as Andres
Galarraga was about to lead off the ninth against Cincinnati closer
Danny Graves.
"At first, I thought there was something wrong with my eyes,"
Galarraga said. "Then I saw everybody else moving back and I knew
it was something with the lights."
Team officials blamed a "power spike" and quickly corrected
the problem, but they couldn't fix the team's bats. Atlanta went
down meekly on three straight grounders to give Graves his 23rd
save.
Ashby limited the Reds to six hits and a run through six
innings, then had to leave the game because of a blister on the
middle finger of his pitching hand. Cincinnati immediately took
advantage against an Atlanta bullpen that has been shaky on the
homestand.
After getting the first out, Remlinger (5-3) gave up consecutive
singles by pinch-hitter Alex Ochoa, Pokey Reese and Chris Stynes to
load the bases. Griffey worked ahead in the count before lining a
hit to right that brought home two runs, putting the Reds ahead
3-2.
Dante Bichette drove in an insurance run with a blooper that
fell in right and wound up being a fielder's choice when Griffey
was forced at second.
Steve Parris (9-14) won his fourth straight start, allowing
eight hits and both Atlanta runs in six innings. He has lowered his
ERA from 5.41 at the beginning of the month to 4.57.
"These games are huge," said Parris, aware the Reds had pulled
within 7½ games of St. Louis in the NL Central. "We have to beat
Atlanta. If we don't beat Atlanta, we're not going to make it."
The Braves' relievers have been heading in the opposite
direction. Over the past six games, they have surrendered 19 hits
and 15 earned runs in 15 2/3 innings.
"Don't bet against us," Remlinger said.
Atlanta also has been a rather ordinary team on its home field.
After winning 17 of its first 21 game at Turner Field, the Braves
have gone 24-19 since then.
Javy Lopez had an RBI single in the fourth to put the Braves
ahead, and Reggie Sanders hit his first homer in 39 days leading
off the fifth.
Cincinnati halved its deficit in the sixth on Dmitri Young's
two-out homer over the center-field wall. Otherwise, Ashby was
dominating.
The right-hander struck out Bichette swinging three straight
times, and seemed likely to break a personal three-game losing
streak until his finger began hurting. Trainers sliced open the
blister in the middle of the sixth, and Ashby wanted to go back
out.
But Cox wouldn't risk a more serious injury.
"I feel like I let the team down," Ashby said.
Game notes
Parris' wild pitch in the third inning was the 84th of the
year for the Reds, breaking the club record of 83 set in 1965. At
this pace, Cincinnati will wind up with 104 for the season, which
would easily eclipse the major-league record of 94 set by Texas in
1986. The NL record is 91, established by the 1970 Houston Astros
and tied by the 1989 Philadelphia Phillies. ... Ashby recorded the
1,000th strikeout of his career when Reese fanned in the fifth
inning. ... Galarraga had three of Atlanta's nine hits. ... A fan
was escorted out of Turner Field in a bit of heavy-handed security
after slipping onto the field in the seventh inning while trying to
catch a foul ball down the first-base line. The fan didn't
interfere with Galarraga's attempt to make the catch, but was
removed from his seat anyway.
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ALSO SEE
Baseball Scoreboard
Cincinnati Clubhouse
Atlanta Clubhouse
Jordan day to day after reinjuring shoulder; Millwood to miss start
Galarraga hit with 3-game suspension, but will appeal
RECAPS
Boston 8
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