Offensive Reds Rout the Rockies

Leadoff hitter Chris Stynes continued to ignite the offense, reaching base five times and scoring a four runs as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Colorado Rockies, 10-4, on Sunday.

Stynes homered to start the game, Bret Boone hit his first career grand slam and Pete Harnisch blanked Colorado through five innings to lead the Reds.

Colorado lost its eighth consecutive game and fell to 0-6 at Coors Field. The Rockies, who have been outscored, 40-16, in the first three games of the four-game series, have given up 91 runs in their losing streak.

Stynes is 10 for 16 in the series, reaching base 13 times.

“When he [Stynes] gets going, he’s tough,” Reds Manager Jack McKeon said. “When he joined us last year, I put him in the lineup and he went 7 for 7. I took him out for defense and got booed all over the place.

“I told him finally, ‘I can’t take you out of the lineup.’ The guys he pushed out of the lineup [including Reggie Sanders] haven’t been able to get back in.”

Stynes, acquired in a trade with Kansas City last season, went three for four to raise his average to .383. Harnisch (1-0) went seven innings, giving up two runs and eight hits.

Colorado, trailing 10-0, got to Harnisch for two runs in the sixth on Ellis Burks’ sixth homer and Vinny Castilla’s run-scoring single.

“They look like the Reds from the ‘70s the way they’re swinging the bats right now,” Rockies Manager Don Baylor said.

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NEXT SERIES FOR DODGERS

WHO: Colorado Rockies

WHERE: at Colorado

WHEN: Tuesday, 6 p.m.

Wednesday 6 p.m.