Baseball Guru
06-20-2006, 04:49 PM
http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/preview?gid=260620121
Game Info: 7:10 pm EDT Tue Jun 20, 2006
TV: FSOH, SNY
Currently: Flushing, NY Temp: 86° F
By MATT BECKER, STATS Writer
The Cincinnati Reds hope to continue their sterling play on the road to get back in close contention in the NL Central. The Reds look to extend their season-high road winning streak to nine games when their three-game series against the New York Mets continues at Shea Stadium on Tuesday.
After completing its worst 10-game homestand (2-8) since 1950, Cincinnati (38-32) defeated the Mets 4-2 on Monday in the first game of its seven-game trip.
The Reds used an eight-game winning streak -- seven of which came on the road -- to move into first place in the NL Central on June 8, but they now trail first-place St. Louis by five games.
Cincinnati's 21-13 road record is second in the NL to New York's 23-12 mark. The Reds had a 10-game road winning streak as recently as last season, from July 27-Aug. 13.
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 548th career home run on Monday to tie Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt for 11th all-time. The 36-year-old Griffey and his father, Ken Sr., have now combined for 700 major league homers.
"Which one am I prouder? Probably 700 with my dad," said Griffey Jr., who combined with his father to hit back-to-back home runs when both played for the Seattle Mariners on Sept. 14, 1990. "Now I can say, `Happy Father's Day -- here you go."'
Monday's homer was Griffey's 12th of the season, and he is batting .361 (26-for-72) with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 17 road games.
Elizardo Ramirez (2-5, 3.44 ERA) will look to build off the best start of his young career when he takes the mound for Cincinnati Tuesday.
The 23-year-old right-hander allowed five hits and struck out a career-high 10 in eight innings, but did not receive a decision in the Reds' 3-0 11-inning win over Milwaukee on Wednesday.
"It was unbelievable," said Ramirez, who has started 13 games over parts of three seasons. "Every inning, you had to concentrate. I never had a game like this in the minor leagues -- zero, zero, zero. For me it was important to get the first hitter out every inning."
Ramirez pitched a perfect inning of relief in his only appearance against the Mets (43-26), on May 25, 2004 when he played for Philadelphia.
After winning a season-high eight straight games, NL East-leading New York has lost three of its last four.
The Mets still own an 8 1/2 game lead over second-place Philadelphia, the largest divisional lead in the majors.
New York batted .267 in its first 64 games, but is batting just .224 (35-for-156) in its last five, with shortstop Jose Reyes accounting for nine of those hits.
Reyes, who went 2-for-4 on Monday, is batting .500 (15-for-30) with six doubles and 10 runs scored during a seven-game hitting streak.
Steve Trachsel looks to win his third straight decision for the first time in three years when he pitches Tuesday.
Trachsel (4-4, 4.81) allowed four runs and six hits in six innings of a 5-4 win over Philadelphia on Thursday. He has not won three straight decisions since winning four in a row from Aug. 7-23, 2003.
The 14-year veteran is 8-4 with a 5.29 ERA in 17 career starts against the Reds, but has not faced them since July 27, 2003.
Game Info: 7:10 pm EDT Tue Jun 20, 2006
TV: FSOH, SNY
Currently: Flushing, NY Temp: 86° F
By MATT BECKER, STATS Writer
The Cincinnati Reds hope to continue their sterling play on the road to get back in close contention in the NL Central. The Reds look to extend their season-high road winning streak to nine games when their three-game series against the New York Mets continues at Shea Stadium on Tuesday.
After completing its worst 10-game homestand (2-8) since 1950, Cincinnati (38-32) defeated the Mets 4-2 on Monday in the first game of its seven-game trip.
The Reds used an eight-game winning streak -- seven of which came on the road -- to move into first place in the NL Central on June 8, but they now trail first-place St. Louis by five games.
Cincinnati's 21-13 road record is second in the NL to New York's 23-12 mark. The Reds had a 10-game road winning streak as recently as last season, from July 27-Aug. 13.
Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 548th career home run on Monday to tie Hall of Famer Mike Schmidt for 11th all-time. The 36-year-old Griffey and his father, Ken Sr., have now combined for 700 major league homers.
"Which one am I prouder? Probably 700 with my dad," said Griffey Jr., who combined with his father to hit back-to-back home runs when both played for the Seattle Mariners on Sept. 14, 1990. "Now I can say, `Happy Father's Day -- here you go."'
Monday's homer was Griffey's 12th of the season, and he is batting .361 (26-for-72) with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 17 road games.
Elizardo Ramirez (2-5, 3.44 ERA) will look to build off the best start of his young career when he takes the mound for Cincinnati Tuesday.
The 23-year-old right-hander allowed five hits and struck out a career-high 10 in eight innings, but did not receive a decision in the Reds' 3-0 11-inning win over Milwaukee on Wednesday.
"It was unbelievable," said Ramirez, who has started 13 games over parts of three seasons. "Every inning, you had to concentrate. I never had a game like this in the minor leagues -- zero, zero, zero. For me it was important to get the first hitter out every inning."
Ramirez pitched a perfect inning of relief in his only appearance against the Mets (43-26), on May 25, 2004 when he played for Philadelphia.
After winning a season-high eight straight games, NL East-leading New York has lost three of its last four.
The Mets still own an 8 1/2 game lead over second-place Philadelphia, the largest divisional lead in the majors.
New York batted .267 in its first 64 games, but is batting just .224 (35-for-156) in its last five, with shortstop Jose Reyes accounting for nine of those hits.
Reyes, who went 2-for-4 on Monday, is batting .500 (15-for-30) with six doubles and 10 runs scored during a seven-game hitting streak.
Steve Trachsel looks to win his third straight decision for the first time in three years when he pitches Tuesday.
Trachsel (4-4, 4.81) allowed four runs and six hits in six innings of a 5-4 win over Philadelphia on Thursday. He has not won three straight decisions since winning four in a row from Aug. 7-23, 2003.
The 14-year veteran is 8-4 with a 5.29 ERA in 17 career starts against the Reds, but has not faced them since July 27, 2003.