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Friday, Jul. 7 7:35pm ET
Ochoa's speed, defense key for Cincy | |||||
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI (AP) -- The Cleveland Indians couldn't get anything off Denny Neagle, who's wondering if they might get him eventually. Neagle pitched eight shutout innings and Travis Fryman was thrown out at home plate to end the game Friday night as the Cincinnati Reds held on for a 2-1 win. The loss dropped Cleveland a season-high 11½ games behind the Chicago White Sox, who beat the crosstown Cubs 4-2 on Friday to strengthen their hold on the AL Central. If the Indians are going to make a run at the White Sox or the wild card, they're going to have to get more starting pitching. Jaret Wright and Charles Nagy remain on the disabled list, their prospects uncertain. Neagle (8-2), who's a free agent after the season, could be available later this month if the Reds don't pull out of their nosedive. "Yeah, they're a possibility," Neagle said of the Indians. "A lot of teams are possibilities. The best thing for me to do is not think about it. A couple of weeks ago I caught myself thinking about those possibilities and let my focus drift. I decided I'm still pitching for the Cincinnati Reds and my job is to try to pitch this team into the postseason." The left-hander gave up six hits, struck out seven and threw a season-high 138 pitches in his second appearance against Cleveland this season. Neagle gave up a season-high 11 hits in a 7-4 loss at Jacobs Field on June 9. With Neagle tiring, the Reds went to Danny Graves in the ninth. Cleveland got two on with two outs and pinch-hitter Russell Branyan hit a liner into the left-field corner. Roberto Alomar scored from second but Travis Fryman -- trying to score from first -- was out by several steps at home as Alex Ochoa and shortstop Barry Larkin made a perfect relay to end the game. Ochoa also beat out an infield hit in the eighth, leading to a key insurance run for the Reds. "In that case, I shouldn't have sent him," third base coach Jim Riggleman said. "He was out too easily. If you get that chance, you take it and hope you get an in-between throw where the catcher gets short-hopped. That didn't happen." Instead, Benito Santiago received a perfect throw in plenty of time to get the out. "The ball was hit hard, so I knew we had time," Larkin said. "I just tried to give (Santiago) a good throw to handle. It really was just routine." Chris Stynes homered in the third and Sean Casey had an RBI double in the eighth off All-Star Chuck Finley (7-6), who gave up seven hits in 7 2-3 innings. "I kind of got outpitched, basically," Finley said. "That's the way it works sometimes." Stynes, filling in at third base for injured Aaron Boone, has homered in three straight games and is 10-for-23 in his last seven games. Ken Griffey Jr., who has the most homers (23) and RBIs (59) in interleague play, went 0-for-4 as he stayed in his rut. Griffey is 3-for-32 in his last 10 games. The Indians have a 9-7 lead in the intrastate series, which is one of the Reds' biggest draws each year. The opener Friday drew 53,509, Cincinnati's first sellout since opening day, and Saturday's game also is sold out. Thousands of fans make the four-hour drive down Interstate 71 to fill Cinergy Field, where the Indians are 5-2 in the last three years. The series involves bragging rights in a season that's been nothing to brag about for either team. Cincinnati has lost 19 of 30 since June 5, falling out of contention in the NL Central. The Indians have been in a similar slide, losing 16 of 25 since June 11. The Indians showed why they lead the majors in fielding. Shortstop Omar Vizquel, who hasn't made an error in 84 games, made a barehanded catch and throw on Pokey Reese's grounder in the third. Finley helped himself with a down-and-dirty play in the fifth. He flipped his glove overhead to knock down Santiago's grounder, then flipped the ball to first as he tumbled onto his back. Game notesIndians OF Manny Ramirez homered and walked three times Friday for Triple-A Buffalo. Ramirez, on a rehab assignment recovering from a strained hamstring, could rejoin Cleveland next weekend. ... Richie Sexson batted cleanup for the first time this season and went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts. First baseman Jim Thome got a day off with a left-hander starting for Cincinnati. ... Finley was 0-for-3, leaving him 0-for-21 career. ... Alomar had a 14-pitch at-bat as he drew a walk in the third, fouling off eight pitches with two strikes. ... Reliever Scott Williamson, the 1999 NL Rookie of the Year, is being moved into the Reds' struggling rotation. Ron Villone is going back to the bullpen. ... RF Dante Bichette (bruised shin) and Boone (sprained knee) were out of the starting lineup, but expected back during the series. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Cleveland Clubhouse Cincinnati Clubhouse RECAPS Chi. White Sox 4 Chicago Cubs 2
Cincinnati 2
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