SARASOTA, Fla. - Corey Lidle held Cincinnati to five hits and the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Reds 2-0 Sunday.

An error from Brandon Larson at third base helped Lidle to his second win of the spring. Larson, playing his first game in the field since straining his right rib cage on March 2, threw away a slow ground ball hit by Lidle to allow the Blue Jays' pitcher to reach second base.

Dave Berg singled Lidle home to make a loser of left-handed pitcher Jimmy Anderson, who allowed one run on seven hits.

Anderson is threatening to become the lone lefthander in Cincinnati's starting rotation.

''He keeps throwing ground balls,'' said Cincinnati manager Bob Boone. ''He's buying into what Gully (pitching coach Don Gullett) and I have been telling him, to become a sinker ball pitcher.''

Lidle, who was acquired from Oakland on Nov. 16 for Michael Rouse and Chris Mowday, worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the second inning and allowed no walks.

Toronto made the most of their nine hits, scoring again in the eighth inning, Kent Mercker scored on a single by Vernon Wells and a double by catcher Tom Wilson.

Berg had three hits for the Blue Jays and Wilson had two. Berg improved his spring average to .407 and drove in his fifth run.

Ken Griffey Jr. failed to get a hit for the first time in nine games, but he remains tied with Barry Bonds as the spring home-run leader with six. He is second to Albert Pujols with 16 RBI.

''I was pretty pleased with everything,'' said Boone, despite the loss. ''We didn't get it done in some offensive situations.''

Tim Young struck out Griffey with Gookie Dawkins and Benny Agbayani in scoring position in the seventh inning. Jeff Tam, Kelvim Escobar, Young and Tevor Miller completed Toronto's fourth shutout of the spring.

Notes: Wily Mo Pena continued to impress Boone with three hits, including his fifth double… Larson, projected to start for the Reds at third base, is still a little sore from a strained rib cage … Austin Kearns, who had bone chips removed from his elbow March 10, is expected to start baseball activities Monday or Tuesday … The Reds have not determined when Paul Wilson, sidelined with a strained rib cage muscle in his left side, will appear in spring games. Wilson was hurt during an intra-squad scrimmage game Wednesday.