SpringfieldNewsSun.com

CINCINNATI — As the ball flew over the right-field wall, Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker had a flashback: "Rickey Henderson. Bobby Bonds."

And he could have added Brady Anderson — leadoff hitters who were known for first-inning leadoff home runs.

The man-child who reminded Baker of those vintage leadoff hitters was Jay Bruce, 21, a leadoff hitter by default because, frankly, there is nobody else due to injuries.

Bruce ignited the fourth pitch he saw, leading off the first, over the right field fence, launching the Reds to a 3-1 interleague victory over the Boston Red Sox on Friday, June 13, in Great American Ball Park.

Starter Aaron Harang took it from there — one run and four hits over seven innings to push his record to 3-9.

"I didn't know Harang was 2-9 until I saw it on the scoreboard and I thought it was a misprint," said Baker. "I told him, though, 'Win one and you might win seven or eight in a row.'"

Bruce said leading off isn't foreign to him.

"I did it in high school, so I could get more at-bats," he said. "I don't care where I hit as long as I'm swinging and we're winning."

The victory came against Beavercreek's Justin Masterson and the Reds were full of praise over his side-slinging efforts.

"He has good stuff, good action on his ball and he as funky arm action," said Bruce. "Just three runs? That wins a lot of games."

Baker was impressed, too.

"There wasn't a lot offense tonight, but there were two pretty good pitchers out there," he said. "Their young man (Masterson) has real good stuff and he probably threw two pitches he wanted back (home runs to Bruce and Adam Dunn). That young man was dealing — seven strikeouts in the first three innings, nine for the game?

"Harang threw the ball well and the main thing was he threw strikes," said Baker. "That's a very tough lineup over there. To hold those guys to one run and four hits, you've had a heck of a night."

The only run against Harang came in the fourth on Jacoby Ellsbury's double and Manny Ramirez's single.

Masterson was masterful, giving up three runs and four hits in 6 2/3 innings. And the nine strikeouts were a career-best.

His problem was the long ball, the leadoff home run by Jay Bruce. Dunn crushed his 17th homer in the fourth.

After Dunn's homer, back-to-back doubles by Edwin Encarnacion and Joey Votto scored a third run.

Harang threw a 94-mph fastball to strike out Ramirez in the seventh and his only trouble came in the fourth when he gave up a run.

It could have been worse. There were runners on first and second with two outs and he was facing Sean Casey, who ripped one down the first base line. Votto stabbed it for the third out.

The 38,855 gave Casey a standing ovation in the second when he came to bat, so loud he had to step out and doff his helmet toward both sides of the field.

Casey singled for his 1,500th career hit in the seventh and said, "That was special. I played eight years here and I've always had a great relationship with the fans. To be able to come back and get that type of ovation was probably one of the best moments of my career.

"It was kind of ironic getting my 1,500th hit here in Cincinnati. The good Lord was looking out. That was pretty special," he added.

Harang was happy for Casey — happy he gave up the 1,500th hit in a noncritical situation and retired him in the crucial spot.

"You can look at my record and say it was a lack of run support, this or that, but I feel like I was trying to do too much myself and not letting the team help me out," said Harang.

Say, what? He tried to let the team help him out but they seldom scored runs, which is why he is 3-9 instead of 9-3.

"I was able to be aggressive, but let them put the ball in play and let our guys make the plays," Harang added. "When I got in trouble in the fourth, a couple of little bloop hits, I was able to make pitches to get out of it.

"I really worked hard this week to get my legs back underneath me, especially with the weather change — hot and humid — you really need your legs late in the game," he said.

Did he have them? Ask Ramirez about that 94-mph fastball in the seventh.

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