Yankees Still Cold at Cincinnati

Twenty-seven years later, the New York Yankees still couldn’t win in Cincinnati.

Juan Castro slapped a run-scoring single just inside first base with two out in the ninth inning, giving the Cincinnati Reds a 4-3 victory Tuesday night.

The Yankees got swept by the Big Red Machine in the 1976 World Series, and hadn’t been back since. Their interleague return drew a capacity crowd -- only the third this season at Great American Ball Park -- that reveled in another Yankee loss.

“Everybody was into it,” said Yankee starter Andy Pettitte, who let a sixth-inning lead slip away. “Everybody wants to beat the Yankees.”

The Reds beat them the way they usually beat teams at home -- on their last swing.

Castro’s soft grounder off the end of the bat eluded diving first baseman Jason Giambi and sent the Reds into another hop-in-unison celebration. Fifteen of the Reds’ 28 victories have come in their final at-bat.

“You can’t let us hang around,” Manager Bob Boone said. “The electricity was up. Everybody knew it was the Yankees, but you don’t play different. You do get up for it more. It’s fun.”

The long-awaited rematch came down to the bullpens, and Red relievers were a little better.

Chris Reitsma (4-2) struck out four in two perfect innings, and Antonio Osuna (1-2) failed in the end.

Jason LaRue doubled high off the wall in center with one out in the ninth, missing a home run by about two feet.

Osuna struck out Felipe Lopez, then fell behind in the count before giving up the game-winning single to Castro, who is the godfather of Osuna’s daughter.