Reyes Earns a Place in History

When he was growing up in Mexico, Dennis Reyes dreamed of being Fernando Valenzuela. He never dreamed he would become Tom Zachary and Jack Fisher and Tracy Stallard.

Yet that’s who the Cincinnati Red left-hander became Saturday, his name joining those of Zachary and Fisher and Stallard on the list of pitchers who have served up a hitter’s 60th or 61st home run.

But after giving up Mark McGwire’s 60th home run Saturday at Busch Stadium on a 2-0 fastball in the first inning, Reyes did his best to shrug off his unwanted place in history.

“I wasn’t thinking of anything except keeping the game close,” Reyes said. “I was upset that we were down, 2-0, after that. But it’s not his first home run and it won’t be his last.”

And if McGwire can slug another two home runs, as he is expected to do with 21 games remaining, Reyes will become a footnote in history.

Zachary of the Washington Senators threw the ball that Babe Ruth hit for his 60th home run in 1927. Fisher of the Baltimore Orioles threw the ball that Roger Maris hit for his 60th in 1961. But it is Stallard, then a 24-year-old member of the Boston Red Sox, who is best remembered after throwing the ball that Maris hit into the right-field seats at Yankee Stadium for his 61st.

McGwire began his assault on Maris’ record on opening day by homering against the Dodgers. Reyes, discovered by Dodger scout Mike Brito in the days when Reyes was a Valenzuela wannabe, began the season in the Dodger organization.

But after getting traded to Cincinnati in July along with infielder/outfielder Paul Konerko for reliever Jeff Shaw, Reyes’ focus is on showing the Dodgers that they made a mistake.

For Reyes (3-5), Saturday was simply another lost opportunity to do so.

He had spoken to his family in Mexico before to coming to Busch Stadium on Saturday and was told, “don’t let [McGwire] do it.”

But when he fell behind in the count to McGwire in the first inning with John Mabry on first, Reyes knew he was going to have to come in with a pitch.

“It was a fastball on the outside corner and down,” Reyes said. “He hit a good pitch. I didn’t want to walk him. I figured I was going to throw him my best pitch and if he hits it, well, he’ll get another home run.”

Reyes got a small measure of revenge in the second by striking out McGwire. In the fifth, Cincinnati reliever Mike Remlinger also struck out McGwire.

In the seventh, McGwire came up with one out and runners at second and third. Red Manager Jack McKeon brought in reliever John Hudek, but with the Cardinals ahead 5-0, McKeon let Hudek pitch to McGwire.

Home plate umpire Larry Poncino tossed Hudek one of the specially marked balls used only for McGwire.

“Is this the juiced ball?” Hudek asked with a smile.

After Hudek struck out McGwire, Poncino wanted the marked ball back.

“I wanted to keep it,” Hudek said. “It had worked for me and I needed it because [Brian] Jordan was coming up.”

Hudek didn’t get to keep the ball, of course, and he didn’t get Jordan, who tripled in two runs.

But Hudek was thrilled to have a supporting role in the McGwire show and even more thrilled to have shut him down.

“It’s exciting to see,” Hudek said. “I just don’t want to be a part of it. If I go into the record book, I want it to be for something I have done, not something he has done. I’m not out there for someone else’s thrill.

“I don’t want to be one of his victims. I take pride in the fact that, in 1998, I have faced him five times and he didn’t get one off me.”

But there is always another day. Would Hudek like another shot at stopping McGwire this afternoon?

“Yes,” he said without hesitation, “and I will.”