Harang appears affected by relief outing

CINCINNATI -- The costly 18-inning game last weekend didn't just give the Reds one isolated loss on one isolated day. The carryover from that six-hour day became visible on Thursday while Aaron Harang displayed less-than-stellar stuff.

Harang did yeoman's work by stepping up as an emergency reliever while throwing four scoreless from the 13th through 16th innings on Sunday at San Diego when the Reds were out of relievers.

By starting on Thursday, it meant working on three days' rest and for the third time in eight days. Unfortunately for Harang, during a 7-2 loss to the Pirates, this outing equaled Sunday's cameo appearance in length. Lasting only four innings, it was his shortest start of the season. The right-hander gave up six earned runs and 10 hits -- both season highs.

"I just felt like I didn't have it from the get-go," said Harang, who threw 72 pitches, nine more than his Sunday total. "I knew it was going to be a long day today, no matter what."

As odd as it was to see Harang struggle, Reds fans had to be wondering if that was the same Phil Dumatrait who was 0-4 with a 15.00 ERA in six starts last season with Cincinnati. Dumatrait (2-2) pitched seven innings and struck out nine -- both career highs -- while giving up one unearned run and two hits for the Pirates.

"Our reports said he had fair stuff but was wild," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "I didn't see much wildness and I saw very good stuff. Sometimes that happens when you pitch against your former team."

Cincinnati's nine-game home winning streak, which included the first two games of the Pittsburgh series, is now over.

As sharp as Dumatrait appeared, Harang seemed like he was in a long, tough slog. Moved back only one extra day from his originally scheduled start because of Sunday, his normally low-90s mph velocity hovered mostly in the high 80s with one pitch topping out at 93 mph on the ballpark's radar gun display.

"I've thrown a lot of pitches in the last week," Harang said. "Of course, I'm not going to be full strength right now. But I have to go out and try to help us win and I just didn't have it today when I went out there."

Harang had some early trouble in the first and second innings. He started the game by giving up a Freddy Sanchez single and Jack Wilson's RBI double to right-center field before retiring the rest of the side in order.

A double and a single began the second inning before Harang emerged unscathed. Trouble was inescapable by the top of the third. Jason Bay hit a one-out double and went to third on an errant pick-off throw by catcher David Ross. Xavier Nady smoked an RBI double to right field before Jason Michaels blooped an RBI double in front of diving center fielder Ryan Freel for a 3-1 Pittsburgh lead.

"I think it affected him quite a bit," Baker said of Harang's short rest. "He was getting balls up. He didn't have the same velocity. He didn't have same crispness or sharpness on his breaking ball."

In a three-run Pirates fourth, Raul Chavez hit a leadoff double to left field and later scored on a sacrifice fly. With two outs, Bay hit a two-run homer into the left-field seats.

Short rest or not, Harang didn't like his results. After the third out in the fourth, he angrily tossed his glove down the stairs to the dugout tunnel. A 16-game winner in each of the last two seasons, the staff ace finds himself saddled with an unlikely 2-7 record to go with a 3.81 ERA. He's got just one win over his last nine starts.

On Sunday at San Diego, Harang and Edinson Volquez were pressed into service when the Reds had used up their bullpen during extra innings. The game put the entire pitching staff into a bind, and Harang paid for it Thursday.

"He's not using it [as an excuse]," Baker said. "I'm not using it either, but I'm giving it to him because it's a fact. Aaron is a man. He's a heck of a man. We owe him. Boy, he'll get a bunch of victories in a row. I just know it. Water seeks its own level. Every year, you're going to be somewhere within two or three wins or within eight to 10 points of what you usually hit. I just know some good stuff is coming from Aaron."