Sore Heel Sends Larkin to Bench

Cincinnati Red shortstop Barry Larkin left Sunday’s game against the Florida Marlins with a recurrence of the sore left heel that bothered him during spring training.

Larkin departed for a pinch-runner in the fifth inning. He said he might rejoin the lineup today at Colorado.

“If I can get it calmed down, I should be able to play,” he said. “I can function, but it’s very sore.”

Larkin missed 14 spring training games because of inflammation in the heel. Playing in a day game after a night game Saturday might have aggravated the injury, the Reds’ trainers said. Larkin is off to a three-for-17 start.

“I didn’t really get loose,” Larkin said. “It just stayed sore.”

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Lee Smith became the fourth major-league pitcher to appear in his 1,000th game when he worked a perfect ninth inning for the Montreal Expos.

Smith, the career saves leader with 474, finished the Expos’ 6-2 loss to Colorado. He joined Hoyt Wilhelm (1,070), Kent Tekulve (1,050) and Goose Gossage (1,002) at the mark.

“I never thought I’d get in to 300 games, let alone save 300,” Smith said. “Being in there with Tekulve and Goose is great. Those guys are my idols.”

Smith, 39, has played for the Chicago Cubs, Boston, St. Louis, the New York Yankees, Baltimore, the Angels and Cincinnati.

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Outfielder Ellis Burks was a late scratch from the Colorado lineup because of a slightly sprained left wrist. Quinton McCracken took Burks’ spot in center field. Burks is listed as day-to-day.