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We scored 5 runs over 3 games in Houston prior to the Reds series and were lucky to get 1 win. Since the Reds won 2 of 3, we were 7 back to start the series.
Game 1 didn't start well as our #1 Andy Hawkins gave up 2 in the 2nd and 4 in the 3rd and we were down 6-0. Dave Clark and Von Hayes hit solo home runs in the 4th and 5th and Fred Lynn's 2 run shot in the 6th got us back to 6-4. It was 7-4 in the 8th when Mike Stanley and Julio Franco knocked in runs with singles and we came all the way back after Hayes doubled in Stanley and Franco and it was 8-7. I brought in Rick Moore in the 8th, but he spit the lead up, giving up a 2-run double to Craig Biggio. But in the 9th, Lynn hit a 2-run double to give us the 9-8 lead in an amazing game. We brought in Joe Beckwith to close it out. He was 9-9 for us in saves. So of course Jeremy Burnitz hit a walk-off 2-run home run, his 27th, and we lost game 1 11-10.
Heartbreaking.
When Kevin Houston gave up 3 runs in the 1st in game 2 of the series, I was about ready to think it wasn't our season. But Houston settled down and Lynn and Hensley Meulens hit solo shots to get us back to 3-2 after 5. But Tim Raines and Ken Caminiti knocked in runs and we were down 5-2. We made it 5-3 on a wild pitch and then Dave Clark hit a 2-run homer to tie it 5-5 in the 6th, and it stayed that way until extra innings. Julio Franco then hit his 8th home run on the year and we scraped out a 6-5 win and we weren't ready for golf yet.
In game 3, we cracked out 19 hits, 3 doubles, 3 triples and 2 home runs and won in a laugher, 20-1. Hayes went 3-5 with a grand slam and 7 RBI. He came up 4 times with the bases loaded in the game, he could have had an all-timer of a game. Starter Sterling Hitchcock hit the other homer and knocked in 4 runs.
We had a chance to get back to 6 games behind the Reds in the 4th game of the series, and unlike game 3, it was a nail biter. Hayes continued to light up the Reds, hitting his 15th homer in the 2nd and a Clark sac fly put us up 2-0 after 3. The Reds put together 5 singles in the 5th, however and they clawed out 3 runs to put the Reds ahead 3-2. Hayes did it again with a 2-run double in the 6th to put us up 4-3.....and that was how it ended.
We took 3 of 4. So after blowing the 1st game and being down 3-0 after 1 inning in game 2, I am glad to be 6 game back again with 7 games left with the Reds
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