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CINCINNATI — Joe Nuxhall sat next to his longtime radio broadcasting partner, Marty Brennaman, before Sunday's Cincinnati Reds game and talked about their relationship.

"In the 34 years, I can't remember but one incident that upset Marty, and I can't blame him for that," Nuxhall said. "It happened in Houston. I never will forget it, 14 innings."

"Hotter than a match," Brennaman said from the next seat at the interview table.

Then, as Nuxhall and Brennaman sat with Betty Hoyt, the widow of former Reds broadcaster Waite Hoyt, on a day honoring the beloved Cincinnati radio trio, someone asked: What was the Houston thing?

"Well, back then we were doing the star of the game," Nuxhall said. "In Houston, it's a long haul from the press box down to the field. The Reds were ahead by a couple runs, so I get down and I'm right behind home plate, and son of a gun, the Astros tie it up.

"So, I'm supposed to do the 10th inning, but I couldn't possibly get back up there for the 10th inning. Then the Reds score on in the top of the 10th, and Houston ties it up. And it goes on. Then Marty's really hot at me."

"That's about the only time," Brennaman said.

Because broadcasters split innings, Brennaman worked heavy overtime that day in Houston. But, between the three Sunday honorees — who had microphones unveiled honoring them beneath the Reds' radio booth at Great American Ball Park — there is plenty of work experience.

Hoyt was first, as the New York Yankees Hall of Fame pitcher was in the Reds' booth from 1942-65, telling stories during rain delays and entertaining fans with his memorable laugh. Nuxhall, the former Red, began his radio career in 1967 and was joined by Brennaman in 1974. Nuxhall, 78, stopped broadcasting fulltime in 2004.

That amount of experience meant Sunday was a day for anecdotes, but the best storyteller wasn't there.

"Every night after dinner, we sat at the table until 11 o'clock at night, and we talked baseball," Betty Hoyt said of Waite, who died in 1984. "He would have a story he was telling, and he couldn't think of a fact, and he would say, 'Get the book.' We each had our own encyclopedias of baseball, and he used to say we're the only family in the area who had his and hers encyclopedias of baseball."

Griffey rests

Even though he had homered in each of the past three games, Ken Griffey Jr. was not in Sunday's starting lineup

"Hate to do it," Manager Jerry Narron said. "He's swinging the bat well, but any time we can buy two days, were going to try to take it."

Norris Hopper filled in at right field, while Josh Hamilton started in center and Adam Dunn played in left. Griffey pinch hit in the 11th inning and flew out.

Quick hits

• Alex Gonzalez was an unlikely hero Sunday. Before a single in the 11th inning, he was hitless in his previous 13 at-bats. He then singled in the bottom of the 12th inning to score Chad Moeller for the

1-0 victory.

• With a double in the first inning, Indians third baseman Casey Blake extended his career-best hitting streak to 19 games.

• Cleveland starter C.C. Sabathia went 2-for-3 with two singles up the middle. He has 11 hits in 37 career at-bats (.297).

Contact this reporter at (937) 225-7389 or knagel@DaytonDailyNews.com

Comment: Congratulate the Reds' broadcasters