Lee's homer helps Cubs spoil Dusty Baker's return to Wrigley

[April 16, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Dusty Baker knew exactly what to look for when he returned to Wrigley Field. "The first thing you do when you get here, you check the wind," he said. It was blowing out.

Derrek Lee hit a three-run homer and started a pivotal double play to help the Chicago Cubs beat their former manager and his Cincinnati Reds 9-5 on a blustery Tuesday night.

Baker managed the Cubs for four seasons and got them within five outs of the World Series five years ago, but after a last-place finish in 2006, his contract was not renewed.

When Baker brought the Reds' lineup card out before the game, there was some mild booing. But when he came out of the dugout to change pitchers in the seventh and eighth innings, the booing became loud.

Lee's fifth homer was a long drive to left-center on a night with the wind blowing out at 19 mph and gusts up to 26 mph. Mark DeRosa and Ryan Theriot also connected for the Cubs.

Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 595th homer, and Joey Votto added a solo shot in the ninth for the Reds.

Chicago lost left fielder and leadoff hitter Alfonso Soriano before he even came to the plate when he strained his right calf, apparently while catching Griffey's inning-ending fly ball in the top of the first. Soriano often does a hop just as he is about to catch the ball, but it wasn't immediately known how he got hurt. Mike Fontenot pinch-hit for Soriano in the bottom of the first.

Aaron Harang (1-2) took his first career loss at Wrigley Field, where he had been 4-0 in eight previous appearances. Harang gave up eight hits and five runs in six innings and fell to 8-4 lifetime against the Cubs.

Chicago closer-turned-starter Ryan Dempster (2-0) gave up five hits and four runs in six-plus innings. He left during the seventh when the Reds loaded the bases with no outs but scored only one run, thanks to stellar defensive plays by Fontenot at second and Lee at first.

The Reds grabbed a 1-0 lead in the second when Dempster walked Brandon Phillips and Adam Dunn before Edwin Encarnacion, batting only .179, lined an RBI single over DeRosa's head in left. DeRosa had moved to left from second when Fontenot replaced Soriano in the order.

The Cubs went ahead in the bottom half as Kosuke Fukudome singled and DeRosa homered to left.

Griffey's homer was a two-run shot to center off Dempster and it gave the Reds a 3-2 lead in the third. The Reds' star is sixth on the career list. No. 5 is Sammy Sosa with 609.

The Reds had a big inning brewing in the seventh after Paul Bako singled and pinch-hitter Scott Hatteberg walked to finish Dempster. Reliever Carlos Marmol fielded Corey Patterson's bunt and threw high and late to second, a fielder's choice that loaded the bases with no outs.

But Fontenot made a great diving stab behind second on Jeff Keppinger's grounder up the middle, flipping to shortstop Theriot covering for the forceout as a run scored. Lee then grabbed Griffey's hard grounder and started a 3-6-3 double play.

The Cubs made it 7-4 in the bottom half when Lee singled, Aramis Ramirez had an RBI double and DeRosa a run-scoring single off reliever Jared Burton. Theriot hit a two-run shot, his first of the season, off Todd Coffey in the eighth.

Notes: Griffey, Baker and Lee were among those who wore No. 42 to honor Jackie Robinson on the 61st anniversary of his major league debut. ... Patterson, once the Cubs' top prospect whose career with the team never met expectations, also got his share of boos.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

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