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Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Harang leads Reds past Cubs despite HRs Send a link to a friend

[August 15, 2007]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Aaron Harang allowed four hits, including three homers, but still outpitched Carlos Zambrano as the Cincinnati Reds sent the suddenly reeling Chicago Cubs to their seventh loss in nine games, 6-5 on Tuesday night.

Harang (12-3) gave up three solo shots in seven-plus innings -- back-to-back homers to Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez in the fourth and one to Jacque Jones in the sixth.

Harang was charged with five runs and left after a leadoff walk to pinch-hitter Mike Fontenot in the eighth. The Cubs then pushed across a run to make it 6-5 on Lee's two-out RBI single off Jared Burton.

David Weathers relieved and walked Ramirez before retiring Daryle Ward on a popup to shallow center.

Weathers provided some drama in the ninth before earning his 23rd save.

Jason Kendall walked with two outs before Mike Fontenot drove a pitch to the wall in right that Norris Hopper caught as he leaned into the ivy to end the game.

Zambrano (14-9) didn't look at all like the Cubs' ace, failing for the third straight start to get his 15th win. He left two outings ago in the sixth with heat-related cramping and was driven out by Houston six days ago after 5 1-3 innings and allowing seven runs.

On Tuesday night he allowed 13 hits and six runs in seven innings with two walks and no strikeouts.

Ken Griffey Jr.'s two-run double after Josh Hamilton's single and a walk to Jeff Keppinger gave the Reds the lead in the third. Singles by Javier Valentin and Edwin Encarnacion started the fourth, Harang sacrificed, Hamilton hit an RBI grounder and Keppinger added a run-scoring single for a 4-0 lead.

Encarnacion made a nice play at third base to retire Zambrano to end the third inning, prompting the emotional right-hander to slam his helmet down with it bouncing all the way into right field.

Lee, in a 5-for-34 slump, hit his 13th homer with two outs in the fourth for the Cubs' first hit. Ramirez, who missed six games with a sore wrist, followed one pitch later with his 17th.

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The Reds made it 5-2 in the fifth when Brandon Phillips led off with a double and scored on Valentin's two-out single to center. Jones cleared the right field bleachers with two outs in the sixth, just his fourth homer of the season.

But Phillips, who reached base four times, was hit by a pitch in the seventh and scored on another two-out hit, a single by Scott Hatteberg.

The Cubs cut it to 6-4 in the bottom half when Harang hit Mark DeRosa with a pitch with two outs. A wild pitch moved to second and he scored on Matt Murton's single up the middle.

The Reds loaded the bases with no outs in the eighth with three straight singles off Carlos Marmol, who then struck out Keppinger and Griffey and retired Phillips on a fly ball.

Notes: SS Alex Gonzalez was not with the Cubs, remaining home to attend to his 10-month-old son, who is ill. ... Griffey was easily thrown out trying to stretch his third-inning double into a triple and was caught trying to steal second in the fourth when he hesitated with Keppinger breaking off third. ... The Reds are 20-16 under interim manager Pete Mackanin. ... Zambrano is 1-3 against the Reds this season and Tuesday night marked the third time he faced Harang this season. ... Harang had given up 13 homers in 160 1-3 innings entering the game, then gave up three in six innings.

[Associated Press; by Rick Gano]

Copyright 2007 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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