News
Harang stellar as Reds outlast Cards
Righty's seven strong innings has Cincy poised for sweep
By Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
05/09/09 10:55 PM ET
CINCINNATI -- Thirty games into the season and the Reds have done all they can to make like Nuke LaLoosh and announce their presence with authority. Unlike the "Bull Durham" pitcher, the Reds are starting to prove they have the ability to put some substance behind any swagger. Saturday's convincing 8-3 win over the first-place Cardinals guaranteed a winning three-game series -- the first winning one the team has had at home this season -- and move Cincinnati within 1 1/2 games of St. Louis. "We really need to beat these guys," said second baseman Brandon Phillips, who was 2-for-3 after missing the past two games with the flu. "We have to show them what kind of team the Cincinnati Reds are this year. We're hungry. We want to go out there and win the whole thing. That's what it's about -- trying to win our division." The Reds are starting to hit some of the benchmarks needed to achieve that lofty goal. Besides holding a 10-5 record on the road this season, they've also improved to 14-8 against teams in the National League Central. Last season, they were 31-47 vs. their division rivals. It's a clear indication that this isn't last year's club that sputtered out of contention early. "That's one of the things we've talked about," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Road record, one-run victories (4-3), getaway days (6-1) and winning in our division. Last year, we got killed in our division. As many games as you play in your division now in baseball, it's in your best interests to have the best record you can." On his 31st birthday, Reds starter Aaron Harang (3-3) showed some mettle to escape jams over seven well-pitched innings, leaving the leadoff hitter on base four times. Harang allowed three runs, including two earned ones on a Ryan Ludwick homer that tied the game at 2 in the third inning. Harang also gave up seven hits and one walk while striking out seven. "I was really pleased with how I pitched today," Harang said. "I got into some jams early and really only made one mistake, and that was to Ludwick. I was able to stay in there and hang tough." The stat of the night was that Cardinals slugger Albert Pujols was 0-for-4 and came up empty three times with runners in scoring position. The stat of the series is that Pujols is 0-for-8 in two games. "I don't want to see that again if I can help it," Baker said. "It's a dangerous situation with Albert up there. I don't want to mess with Albert. Let's leave Albert alone." A five-run Reds sixth inning blew the game open -- using five singles and a double. Laynce Nix's one-out RBI single through the right side off Cardinals starter Kyle Lohse (3-2) scored Jerry Hairston Jr. from third base with the go-ahead run. Next was Ramon Hernandez, who blooped an RBI single into right field that brought home Phillips. Two batters later with the bases full, Harang sharply lined a single through the left side that scored Nix and Adam Rosales. The ninth batter of the inning, Willy Taveras, added another RBI single with the inning ending as Harang was thrown out running from first to third base. "I got a little excited running the bases," said Harang, who was 0-for-13 for the season until his big hit. "I don't get to do that very often. I kind of had my mind made up before I hit second base." The running might have sapped some energy from Harang in the seventh, as did two errors -- including one of his own -- that led to an unearned run. But Harang got Pujols to foul out behind the plate to end the final St. Louis rally. Hairston punctuated the win with a solo homer to left field in the Reds' half of the seventh. Cincinnati, which in addition to Phillips -- has also had Joey Votto out for three games with the flu, has won three in a row at home for the first time this season. The latest victory, which put the club a season-high four games over .500 at 17-13, happened before a sellout crowd of 40,651 at Great American Ball Park. That included a walk-up sale of over 9,200, likely in part because of a Votto bobblehead giveaway. "It's indicative that people are believing in us, too, but having 9,000 walkups. That's a lot," Baker said. "It just means there is some buzz in town." The attendance had Phillips referencing that other Kevin Costner baseball movie. "We're winning, and they're starting to come. It's a beautiful thing," Phillips said. "The bobbleheads, I don't know if that had something to do with it. But hey, they were out there. We felt them out there, and it felt great. It felt like it was the Field of Dreams out there. If you win, they'll come."Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
