CINCINNATI (AP) - The flu is going through the Cincinnati Reds' clubhouse, forcing them to scratch first baseman Joey Votto and second baseman Brandon Phillips from their already-depleted lineup for Thursday night's game against Milwaukee.
Votto, who is the team's top hitter, was scratched during batting practice when he began to have flu symptoms. A little while later, the Reds had to reconfigure their lineup again because Phillips became sick. Votto was leading the team with a .378 average, and Phillips was on a six-game hitting streak that included homers in each of his last two games.The Reds already were missing shortstop Alex Gonzalez, who pulled muscles in his left side on a swing Monday and hasn't played since then. Manager Dusty Baker said Gonzalez will miss a few more games. The Reds are reluctant to put him on the disabled list.
"He probably won't take any swings until Saturday," Baker said. "There are a few things he has to do, tests he has to pass. No. 1 is hitting."
The two late lineup changes forced Baker to use shortstop Paul Janish, who had a sore shoulder from his emergency stint as a relief pitcher the previous night.
Janish, who pitched at Rice, agreed to throw the final inning of a 15-3 loss to the Brewers. Janish gave up five runs and threw 35 pitches before closing out the game.
Originally, Janish was going to get a day off to rest his shoulder, which was stiff from throwing so many pitches. It was the first time in 11 years that a position player pitched for the Reds - infielder Lenny Harris pitched at San Francisco in 1998.
"I'm a little sore," Janish said. "I thought I'd be a lot sorer, but from what I gather from our other pitchers, I'll be more sore tomorrow than today."
Baker had Jerry Hairston Jr. at shortstop in his original lineup. When both Phillips and Votto had to be dropped, he put Janish at shortstop despite the sore shoulder and moved Hairston to second base.
