Harang, Votto lead Reds over Cubs 7-1

[April 24, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Aaron Harang allowed only one unearned run over seven innings and Joey Votto homered, doubled twice and singled Thursday, leading the Cincinnati Reds over the sloppy Chicago Cubs 7-1.

The Reds went 7-3 on their first road swing of the season, marking the first time since 2004 they'd won three series on the same trip.

Harang (2-2) scattered seven hits in outpitching Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano (1-1), who hasn't won at Wrigley Field since last Aug. 21. Harang walked one and struck out two, including his 1,000th career strikeout.

Votto tied his career high for hits as the Reds finally put some runs on the board for Harang -- he had received one, two and zero runs of support in his first three starts.

Shoddy fielding contributed to the Cubs' first series loss of the year.

Micah Hoffpauir, in right field because of Milton Bradley's groin injury, played a catchable fly into a triple in the fourth inning to set up Jay Bruce's RBI single. Hoffpauir also made an error in the seventh that led to two runs.

Zambrano made an errant pickoff throw in the sixth, and Votto followed with his second double of the game.

Votto homered off Neal Cotts in the eighth. In 53 career at-bats at Wrigley, Votto is batting .340 with five home runs and 12 RBIs.

Zambrano allowed seven hits and four runs in seven innings. He has an 8.00 ERA in five starts (including a playoff loss) since last winning at home. He had won five straight games against the Reds, with an 0.97 ERA.

Chicago's run came in the sixth when Alfonso Soriano singled, went to second on left fielder Chris Dickerson's error and scored on Ryan Theriot's single.

Dickerson hit a two-run single in the ninth off Jeff Samardzija, who was called up from the minors earlier Thursday.

Notes: The Cubs are 8-0 when playing errorless baseball, 0-6 when making at least one error in a game. ... The Reds had losing records on 23 of their previous 28 road trips. ... Soriano has a 10-game hitting streak. ... The Reds are 9-6. It's the first time they've been three games over .500 this late in a season since 2006.

[Associated Press]

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