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RECAP
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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI (AP) – Barry Larkin's first grand slam was a long
time coming.
|  | | Barry Larkin rounds the bases after hitting his first career grand slam. |
Larkin broke in with the Reds in 1986 and led all active major
league players in at-bats without a slam at 6,734 before connecting
against Al Leiter to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the New York
Mets 9-5 Friday night.
"I hit a ball off the wall in San Francisco a few years ago,
and I hit a ball off the wall in Pittsburgh last week," Larkin
said. "I just happened to get some elevation on that one."
Leiter, who had one of the worst nights of his career, took the
slam with grace.
"I've given up grand slams to lesser names than Barry Larkin,"
Leiter said. "I can't believe it was his first."
Larkin's teammates had been needling him about not having a
slam.
"These guys have been so hard on me," Larkin said. "After I
hit that double in Pittsburgh, Juan Castro put a 25-pound weight in
my locker. (Michael) Tucker and Junior (Griffey) were all over me.
"Every time I hit a home run in batting practice, (Sean) Casey
says, 'That's where you're going to hit your granny.'
"I think everybody enjoyed that. They've been on me so hard."
The mantle of longest-serving major leaguer without a slam
passes to Mark McLemore of the Seattle Mariners, who went into
Friday's game with 4,910 at-bats.
Aaron Boone had a two-run homer for Cincinnati, and Jason LaRue
drove in two with a single and double.
Osvaldo Fernandez (3-1) allowed four runs on seven hits, three
walks and three strikeouts in six innings.
Jim Brower pitched three innings for his first major league
save.
Larkin said the only thing he regretted about finally getting
his slam was that his wife didn't see it.
"I told my wife to stay home because it was threatening rain.
I'll never hear the end of that," Larkin said. "But my dad was
here, and I was glad Lenny Harris (now with the Mets) was here.
"That meant a lot to me. We broke in together and we've been
though a lot together."
Leiter (0-3) was the last pitcher to shut out the Reds, allowing
just two hits in the Mets' 5-0 win in the 1999 regular-season
playoff. Cincinnati has scored in every game since then.
Leiter gave up eight runs – tying his career high – on six hits
and two hit batsmen in three innings. It was his shortest
non-injury outing since going three innings on May 15, 1999, at
Philadelphia.
Leiter also allowed eight runs on May 10, 1999, at Colorado.
"They definitely had my number," Leiter said. "They were
hitting on my strength, which is my sliders and cutters inside."
Larkin's slam was set up when Casey was hit by Leiter, Alex
Ochoa singled and Boone was hit by a pitch. Pokey Reese and Jason
LaRue each singled in a run, Fernandez struck out and Larkin
homered to left field.
Leiter said he was surprised that the ball carried out of the
park.
"It didn't have that explosion," Leiter said.
The Mets got two runs in the fourth on a throwing error by
Larkin at shortstop and a single by Jay Payton. New York loaded the
bases in the sixth and scored twice on an infield single by Payton
and an error by first baseman Casey.
Todd Zeile singled in a run in the seventh to make it 9-5.
Game notes
Zeile became only the second player to hit the new
40-foot-high "batter's eye" in center field. Atlanta catcher Javy
Lopez doubled off it on opening day. The plywood wall was installed
this year when the Reds tore down the left- and center-field stands
to make room for construction of a new ballpark. ... Cincinnati is
4-0 against the Mets this season. ... Todd Pratt started in place
of Mets catcher Mike Piazza, who had started 13 of the Mets' first
15 games. Piazza pinch-hit with the bases loaded in the sixth and
reached base on an error. He was credited with an RBI. ... IF David
Howard announced his retirement. Howard, 34, played nine seasons
with Kansas City and St. Louis and had been assigned to the Mets'
Triple-A affiliate in Norfolk. ... Benny Agbayani and Timo Perez
began rehab assignments Friday with the Mets' Triple-A Norfolk,
which opened a weekend series against the Reds' affiliate at
Louisville. ... The game was halted briefly in the second inning
when the "Naked Cowboy" ran onto the field. Robert John Burck II,
30, a musician from Cincinnati who dresses in briefs, red boots and
hat and an American flag cape, was handcuffed and escorted from
Cinergy Field.
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RECAPS
Cleveland 5
Detroit 4
NY Yankees 6
Boston 1
Baltimore 6
Tampa Bay 3
Minnesota 4
Chi. White Sox 1
Toronto 12
Kansas City 4
Texas 9
Oakland 6
Seattle 4
Anaheim 1
Cincinnati 9
NY Mets 5
Florida 5
Montreal 1
Philadelphia 8
Atlanta 3
Chicago Cubs 8
Pittsburgh 2
Houston 10
St. Louis 1
Arizona 3
Colorado 2
Los Angeles 3
San Diego 1
San Francisco 3
Milwaukee 1
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