News
Harang's woes continue in loss to Padres
Right-hander tagged for five early runs, seven overall
By Jeff Wallner / Special to MLB.com
07/29/09 11:01 PM ET
CINCINNATI -- Reds manager Dusty Baker has seen enough.Following a disheartening 7-1 loss Wednesday night to the last-place San Diego Padres in which his ballclub produced just one hit and three total baserunners, Baker delivered his harshest criticisms to date.
"They're not a good club," said Baker of the 40-62 Padres. "And if they're not a good club and they're beating us like that, what does that make us? This is totally unacceptable."
Aaron Harang (5-12) took the defeat, extending his career-long losing streak to eight games before 17,201 restless fans at Great American Ball Park.
The Reds (45-55) are 10 games under .500 for the first time this season.
Three Padres pitchers combined to toss a one-hitter, the first thrown against the Reds since Sept. 29, 2007. The Reds have now been one-hit 29 times since Philadelphia's Rick Wise no-hit them in 1971.
Jerry Hairston Jr.'s solo home run with one out in the fourth accounted for the Reds' only hit.
The Padres now have won two straight for the first time since June 27-28.
"It was pitiful to watch," said Baker. "They're taking it to us. That's tough to watch. You've got to get after it."
Harang's eight-game skid is the longest losing streak for a Reds pitcher since reliever Danny Graves lost eight straight from July 5 to Sept. 2, 2003.
Harang allowed seven runs on nine hits in seven innings, walking four and striking out five.
Harang hasn't won since May 25, when he waited out a two-hour, three-minute rain delay with two outs in the fifth inning before earning the victory.
In just his third Major League start, Padres starter Mat Latos (2-1) allowed the one hit, walked one and struck out four in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 2.70.
"That young man threw great," Baker said. "But that was as close to a no-hitter as you can get."
In his previous 11 starts, Harang is 0-8 with a 5.56 ERA.
Beginning with the second batter on Wednesday, it was clear he would face another uphill battle in his effort to earn an elusive victory.
After David Eckstein doubled with one out in the first, Adrian Gonzalez clubbed a two-run home run into the left-field seats to put the Padres ahead, 2-0. It was his 28th homer of the season. Gonzalez is batting .412 in his career against Harang.
"We're operating at a deficit right away," said Baker. "Our offense isn't such right now that we can come back and score a lot of runs."
Kyle Blanks followed moments later with his fourth home run, a three-run blast into the left-field bleachers to make the score 5-0.
Harang said the pitch to Gonzalez was a changeup up and away. Blanks crushed a hanging slider.
"I felt like I made two bad pitches," said Harang. "The first inning was kind of a blur. I didn't feel like I had my location. I've tried all kinds of things. I just need to figure it out."
The Reds' offense has struggled in Harang's 22 starts, averaging barely more than three runs and batting just .239.
Latos retired the first 10 batters he faced before allowing Hairston's solo home run. It was Hairston's eighth homer and first since May 30, a span of 165 at-bats.
"I didn't throw it up like a fastball," Latos said. "It was down and he got it."
Harang settled down after the rough first inning, allowing just five singles over the next six innings. He managed to provide the Reds' bullpen some much-needed rest by gutting it out for 120 pitches.
In the eighth, Everth Cabrera doubled in the Padres' sixth run. Josh Roenicke uncorked a wild pitch to allow a Eliezer Alonzo to score from third to make the score 7-1.
Jeff Wallner is a contributor to MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
