SARASOTA, Fla. (AP) – Shortstop Barry Larkin played the outfield for the first time in his career and spent most of the time retrieving run-scoring hits as the Boston Red Sox beat the Cincinnati Reds 10-5 on Monday.
Nomar Garciaparra went 3-for-4 with a single, double and solo homer.
David Ortiz added a two-run homer and RBI single off left-hander Jimmy Anderson, who was roughed up in his first appearance since winning a job in the Reds’ rotation.
Both teams had fun with manager Bob Boone’s decision to move Larkin to center field for one game, giving him experience in case an emergency outfielder is needed during the season.
Larkin, 38, has played three games at second base and 1,940 at shortstop during his 16-year career.
He had never played the outfield at any level of baseball.
“It was uneventful, which was cool,” said Larkin, who didn’t get a fly ball hit his way. “After the first couple of innings, I felt confident. I’m still waiting for my first fly ball. Ground balls – I didn’t have any problem with those.”
The public address system played John Fogarty’s “Centerfield” as he ran out to the position.
He doubled over in laughter while warming up with left fielder Reggie Taylor, who was making jokes at his expense.
He got to move when Garciaparra hit a homer to right-center with two outs in the first. The ball easily cleared the wall as Larkin pulled up and watched, then caught grief for it. When Manny Ramirez grounded out to end the top of the first, he slowed and sought out Larkin as he ran off the field.
“He told me I was supposed to get Nomar’s ball,” Larkin said. “He said, ‘You’re supposed to get to the wall and jump.’ I said, ‘Oh, really?”‘
Nothing came his way until the fifth, when the Red Sox sent 12 batters to the plate for seven runs. Larkin smoothly fielded four singles and returned them to the infield.
He never got used to the new perspective on the game.
“It’s totally different,” Larkin said.
“One thing that I don’t recognize at shortstop is the crack of the bat and the echo after the ball is hit. I’ve never heard that before defensively. Out in the outfield, it’s like ‘crack-crack.’ It sounds like he hit it twice.”
Larkin’s flawless six-inning stint convinced Boone that he could play outfield in an emergency. Larkin will move back to shortstop on Tuesday.
“He might sneak out there again,” Boone said. “I’m not sure.” Larkin doesn’t envision himself playing a lot of outfield.
“I’m the eighth or ninth outfielder,” Larkin said. “I’m the just-in-case outfielder.”
Notes: Anderson gave up 10 runs – nine earned – and 13 hits in only 4 1-3 innings. He won a job by allowing only three earned runs in 19 2-3 innings. … Garciaparra’s homer was his fifth, tying Ramirez for the team lead. He has homered in four of the last five games. … Ortiz fouled a ball off his left leg in the second inning, fell to his back and stayed down for several minutes. He stayed in the game and homered three pitches later. … 2B Aaron Boone homered twice for Cincinnati and Adam Dunn added a solo shot, his fifth.
AP-ES-03-24-03 1725EST
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