Turnin 2 SS 2b
05-31-2002, 08:17 AM
The Marlins dropped another one to the Reds thursday...here is the wrap up MIAMI -- The Reds are going home on a roll, at the expense of the slumping Florida Marlins.
Barry Larkin belted a solo homer and had two RBIs Thursday, as Cincinnati slipped past the Marlins 4-1 at Pro Player Stadium, completing a three-game sweep.
Placing an exclamation point on the game, and the series, was Adam Dunn, who crushed a home run to center in the ninth.
The Reds now return to Cincinnati having compiled a 4-2 record on the road trip. They take on the Braves Friday at Cinergy Field.
"We had a chance to sweep a series and we did," Larkin said. "It was big for us."
The Marlins, meanwhile, continue to flounder. They were swept for the first time this season and have now lost 13 of 19.
With a three-game set with the Mets beginning Friday, Florida has to regroup quickly.
"We couldn't generate a lot," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. "I would be really concerned if I felt this club wasn't driving and driving."
As they had all series, the Reds relied on jumping out to an early lead and pounding out homers.
This time Larkin, a 17-year veteran, went deep with an opposite-field homer off Kevin Olsen that carried 363 feet to right field. Dunn's blast, off left-handed reliever Oswaldo Mairena, was the Reds' fifth in the series.
"It was a cutter away," Larkin said. "Earlier in the game, he threw me some fastballs. It stayed out, and I was looking away. I hit it well. I'm struggling."
Larkin had been mired in a slump, with just nine hits in his last 57 at-bats before lining his third homer of the season.
Jimmy Haynes (5-5) kept the Marlins in check, giving up just one run in 6 2/3 innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
The only run Haynes allowed was a 432-foot homer to center by Derrek Lee in the seventh.
"I had good stuff tonight," Haynes said. "I mixed up my pitches. I kept the ball down and got ground balls."
Danny Graves pitched a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 23 opportunities.
The Marlins wasted a quality start by Olsen, who matched his career high with seven innings pitched and six strikeouts.
The Reds capitalized on a dropped fly ball by Eric Owens and scored two runs in the second.
Dunn and Sean Casey opened the inning with successive singles. Olsen then walked Aaron Boone to load the bases with no outs.
Cincinnati caught a break when Larkin lifted a fly ball to right that was misjudged by Owens, who broke in then raced back and couldn't hang on for the out. Dunn and Casey raced home on the error.
"It was a horrible play," Owens said. "I was staying in when the ball was in and froze. When I went back, I couldn't catch it. It set the tone for the entire game. I stunk on that play."
Larkin was credited with a sacrifice fly and an RBI. Dunn's run was unearned. Olsen escaped without further damage by striking out Jason LaRue. After Haynes dropped a sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners to second and third,
Todd Walker, who had laced a single to right center in the first to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games, grounded out to end the inning.
Olsen then settled in and retired 14 straight before Dunn ripped a single to right in the sixth.
The only good news for the Marlins on the night was the continuation of two hitting streaks: Luis Castillo had a single in the sixth, bumping his hitting streak to 18 games, the longest active string in the majors, and Kevin Millar's single in the second gives him a hit in 12 straight games, tying a personal best.
The Marlins continue to be hurt by the long ball. Since May 13, Florida's opponents have a 27-11 edge in home runs.
Barry Larkin belted a solo homer and had two RBIs Thursday, as Cincinnati slipped past the Marlins 4-1 at Pro Player Stadium, completing a three-game sweep.
Placing an exclamation point on the game, and the series, was Adam Dunn, who crushed a home run to center in the ninth.
The Reds now return to Cincinnati having compiled a 4-2 record on the road trip. They take on the Braves Friday at Cinergy Field.
"We had a chance to sweep a series and we did," Larkin said. "It was big for us."
The Marlins, meanwhile, continue to flounder. They were swept for the first time this season and have now lost 13 of 19.
With a three-game set with the Mets beginning Friday, Florida has to regroup quickly.
"We couldn't generate a lot," Marlins manager Jeff Torborg said. "I would be really concerned if I felt this club wasn't driving and driving."
As they had all series, the Reds relied on jumping out to an early lead and pounding out homers.
This time Larkin, a 17-year veteran, went deep with an opposite-field homer off Kevin Olsen that carried 363 feet to right field. Dunn's blast, off left-handed reliever Oswaldo Mairena, was the Reds' fifth in the series.
"It was a cutter away," Larkin said. "Earlier in the game, he threw me some fastballs. It stayed out, and I was looking away. I hit it well. I'm struggling."
Larkin had been mired in a slump, with just nine hits in his last 57 at-bats before lining his third homer of the season.
Jimmy Haynes (5-5) kept the Marlins in check, giving up just one run in 6 2/3 innings with two walks and three strikeouts.
The only run Haynes allowed was a 432-foot homer to center by Derrek Lee in the seventh.
"I had good stuff tonight," Haynes said. "I mixed up my pitches. I kept the ball down and got ground balls."
Danny Graves pitched a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 23 opportunities.
The Marlins wasted a quality start by Olsen, who matched his career high with seven innings pitched and six strikeouts.
The Reds capitalized on a dropped fly ball by Eric Owens and scored two runs in the second.
Dunn and Sean Casey opened the inning with successive singles. Olsen then walked Aaron Boone to load the bases with no outs.
Cincinnati caught a break when Larkin lifted a fly ball to right that was misjudged by Owens, who broke in then raced back and couldn't hang on for the out. Dunn and Casey raced home on the error.
"It was a horrible play," Owens said. "I was staying in when the ball was in and froze. When I went back, I couldn't catch it. It set the tone for the entire game. I stunk on that play."
Larkin was credited with a sacrifice fly and an RBI. Dunn's run was unearned. Olsen escaped without further damage by striking out Jason LaRue. After Haynes dropped a sacrifice bunt, advancing the runners to second and third,
Todd Walker, who had laced a single to right center in the first to extend his hitting streak to a career-high 12 games, grounded out to end the inning.
Olsen then settled in and retired 14 straight before Dunn ripped a single to right in the sixth.
The only good news for the Marlins on the night was the continuation of two hitting streaks: Luis Castillo had a single in the sixth, bumping his hitting streak to 18 games, the longest active string in the majors, and Kevin Millar's single in the second gives him a hit in 12 straight games, tying a personal best.
The Marlins continue to be hurt by the long ball. Since May 13, Florida's opponents have a 27-11 edge in home runs.