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Friday, Aug. 4 7:35pm ET
All-Star Dempster emerges from slump | |||||
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Ryan Dempster ended his month-long slump by remembering how he pitched before he was an All-Star. Dempster pitched eight strong innings and Mike Redmond hit a two-run double Friday night, leading the Florida Marlins to a 2-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds. Dempster (10-8) gave up six hits for his first victory since July 1. Dempster, chosen for his first All-Star game last month, had gone 0-4 with a no-decision in his last five starts. He and his catcher spent some time analyzing what went wrong. "We made a few adjustments," Redmond said. "He went back to the way he was pitching before, being more aggressive." Dempster walked only one batter -- his lowest total since before the All-Star game -- and threw 66 strikes in 99 pitches. He escaped threats in the seventh and eighth to get his first win since July 1. "For me to end the losing streak like that -- that's the best way to do it right there, head-to-head with another guy where you have to go out there and earn it," Dempster said. Antonio Alfonseca had another close brush in the ninth, when the Reds got runners to second and third with two outs on Michael Tucker's single and Dmitri Young's double. He got pinch-hitter Alex Ochoa to ground out, clinching his major league-leading 33rd save in 36 chances. The Marlins' third straight one-run victory took a toll on manager John Boles, who's used to seeing his club in close ones. The Marlins are 25-15 in one-run games. "This one got to me today," Boles said. "I haven't felt like this in a while. I don't know (why). Because it's on Astroturf, I'm always uncomfortable here. It's more of a jittery situation for me." It was a discouraging evening for the Reds, who have three straight one-run losses. Redmond's second-inning double off Pete Harnisch (3-6) provided another setback to the Reds' hopes of catching St. Louis in the NL Central. Instead of gaining ground, the Reds remained five games behind St. Louis, which lost to Atlanta 6-4 Friday night. "That's the way it's been all year," Harnisch said. "That's why we're .500. When we swing the bats, we don't get the pitching. When we get the pitching, we don't swing the bats. "Last year we would have scored the tying run in the ninth and the winning run in the 13th. But it's not happening and everybody knows it." The Marlins lost leadoff hitter Luis Castillo to a leg cramp in the third inning. Castillo, who leads the majors with 46 steals, beat out a grounder for an infield single, then hobbled and sat down holding his right hamstring. Although Castillo stayed in the game, he had a pronounced limp as he jogged to second on Mark Kotsay's double-play grounder. He was replaced in the field in the bottom of the inning. One bad inning left Harnisch with his second loss in seven starts since returning from the disabled list. The right-hander retired the first two batters in the second, then gave up singles by Derrek Lee and Andy Fox and Redmond's double to left. Lee and Fox had consecutive singles again in the seventh, but right fielder Dante Bichette threw out Lee as he tried to go from first to third on Fox's hit. Harnisch allowed eight hits in eight innings as he got his first loss since July 5. Since rehabilitating a weak shoulder, Harnisch has gone 3-2 with a 2.49 ERA. Harnisch had the longest hit by a Red -- he lined a double off the wall in center to open the sixth, then came around on grounders by Chris Stynes and Barry Larkin. Cincinnati remained the only team in the majors that hasn't been shut out this season. Including their opening day tie, the Reds have scored in all 109 games, a franchise record. Dempster forced the Reds to score runners at second base in the seventh and eighth innings. Game notesRHP Jack Armstrong, the NL's starting pitcher in the 1990 All-Star game for Cincinnati, agreed to a minor league deal with the Marlins. He'll pitch for Class A Brevard County. ... INF Mendy Lopez was sent outright to Triple-A Calgary after clearing waivers. ... Henry Rodriguez switched to No. 40 Friday, prompting some other number shifts. Vic Darensbourg switched from 40 to 22 and first base coach Rusty Kuntz swapped No. 22 for 4. Rodriguez wore No. 40 for the Cubs, who traded him July 31. ... Reds C Eddie Taubensee had an injection Friday to help a bulging disc in his back. He's on the disabled list. ... Pitching coach Don Gullett is expected to rejoin the team in a few days. Gullett had tightness in his chest during a series in New York. Tests at the Cleveland Clinic on Thursday found no major problems. ... RHP Elmer Dessens, who passed out from dehydration after his start Wednesday in New York, said he felt fine Friday. Manager Jack McKeon plans to start him again on Tuesday. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Florida Clubhouse Cincinnati Clubhouse RECAPS Boston 5 Kansas City 4
Florida 2
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