Cincinnati (8-6) at Chi Cubs (8-5)

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Wrigley fans won't let Baker forget

Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
After bringing the Cubs to the precipice of a World Series berth in 2003, Dusty Baker had a tough final act in Chicago. Now the Reds manager, Baker doesn't let the fans at Wrigley bother him.
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Reds probable pitcher

Aaron Harang

  • #39 RHP
  • (1-2) 2.70 ERA 17 SO
During a 7-0 loss to the Astros on Saturday, Harang was charged with five earned runs and 10 hits in six-plus innings. He walked one and struck out six. Nine of the hits were singles, many of them grounders that squeaked through holes. The pitcher was visibly frustrated with his lack of success and bad luck. Harang is 8-6 with a 4.81 ERA in 19 career games against the Cubs but was 0-3 with a 6.29 ERA last season in four starts.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 70-68 4.22 1197.2 330 998 .268
Season 1-2 2.70 20.0 4 17 .256
April 1-2 2.70 20.0 4 17 .256

Series at a Glance

Standings - 04/23/2009 W L PCT GB Home Away
Cincinnati Reds (NL Central) 8 6 .571 1.5 2-3 6-3
Chicago Cubs (NL Central) 8 5 .615 1.0 4-3 4-2
Stats - 04/23/2009 AVG R HR RBI SB SO ERA IP H BB SO
CIN .219 51 10 50 7 108 4.32 123.0 118 62 91
CHC .254 66 16 65 7 92 3.94 118.2 103 57 118
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Relievers learning to lean on each other

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
With the Cubs' bullpen set for the arrival of a new arm, the process of learning each other's tendencies and personalities will continue to evolve.
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Cubs probable pitcher

Carlos Zambrano

  • #38 RHP
  • (1-0) 5.21 ERA 20 SO
Zambrano's final line wasn't pretty on Friday against St. Louis. He gave up three homers and seven earned runs but also lasted seven innings to help give his bullpen some relief. Throughout his career, Zambrano has pitched well against Cincinnati, going 14-9 with a 3.03 ERA and holding the Reds to a .219 average.
  W-L ERA IP BB SO AVG
Career 97-61 3.50 1401.0 629 1192 .229
Season 1-0 5.21 19.0 9 20 .292
April 1-0 5.21 19.0 9 20 .292

Reds hitters vs Carlos Zambrano

  2009 2004-2008
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Alonso, Yonder - - - - - - - -
Balentien, Wladimir - - - - - - - -
Bruce, Jay - - - - .300 10 1 2
Dickerson, Chris - - - - .250 8 0 0
Francisco, Juan - - - - - - - -
Gomes, Jonny - - - - - 0 0 0
Hanigan, Ryan - - - - - - - -
Heisey, Chris - - - - - - - -
Hernandez, Ramon - - - - .167 12 0 0
Janish, Paul - - - - - - - -
Phillips, Brandon - - - - .200 40 1 4
Rolen, Scott - - - - .231 26 1 3
Rosales, Adam - - - - .333 3 0 0
Stubbs, Drew - - - - - - - -
Sutton, Drew - - - - - - - -
Taveras, Willy - - - - .185 27 0 1
Valaika, Chris - - - - - - - -
Votto, Joey - - - - .400 20 0 2

Cubs hitters vs Aaron Harang

  2009 2004-2008
Hitter AVG AB HR RBI AVG AB HR RBI
Adduci, James - - - - - - - -
Baker, Jeff - - - - - - - -
Blanco, Andres - - - - - - - -
Bradley, Milton - - - - .200 10 0 0
Castillo, Welington - - - - - - - -
Colvin, Tyler - - - - - - - -
Fontenot, Mike - - - - .389 18 3 7
Fox, Jake - - - - - - - -
Fukudome, Kosuke - - - - .400 15 0 0
Fuld, Sam - - - - .000 3 0 0
Hill, Koyie - - - - .200 5 0 0
Hoffpauir, Micah - - - - .286 7 0 0
Lee, Derrek - - - - .268 56 5 12
Miles, Aaron - - - - .316 19 0 2
Ramirez, Aramis - - - - .306 49 4 9
Soriano, Alfonso - - - - .258 31 0 0
Soto, Geovany - - - - .333 15 1 4
Theriot, Ryan - - - - .278 36 0 3

Harang outduels Big Z (9-6) (8-6)

Reds 7, Cubs 1

Reds take series

Mark Sheldon / MLB.com
The Reds used four hits by Joey Votto combined with some sloppy defense by the Cubs to take the finale, as well as their third straight series. Aaron Harang limited Chicago to just one run in seven-plus innings, outdueling Carlos Zambrano.

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Reds Wrap >

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Series at a Glance

 

Bats, defense sputter

Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
An errant pickoff to first by Carlos Zambrano in the sixth and a Micah Hoffpauir error in the seventh led to unearned runs for the Reds, who needed few behind Aaron Harang, who stifled Cubs hitters all afternoon.
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Cubs Wrap >

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Reds 7, Cubs 1

Cincinnati AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Taveras, CF 5 2 2 0 0 0 1 .283
Dickerson, LF 5 1 2 2 0 3 2 .242
Votto, 1B 5 1 4 2 0 0 1 .373
Encarnacion, 3B 4 0 0 0 1 2 4 .146
Bruce, RF 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 .239
Phillips, B, 2B 3 1 1 0 1 1 2 .184
Hernandez, R, C 4 2 2 0 0 0 0 .205
Gonzalez, A, SS 4 0 1 1 0 1 1 .125
Harang, P 3 0 0 0 0 1 1 .000
  Weathers, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  a-Nix, L, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .250
  Masset, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Totals 38 7 13 6 2 9 14  

a-Struck out for Weathers in the 9th.

BATTING
2B: Votto 2 (7, Zambrano, C, Zambrano, C), Taveras (2, Samardzija).
3B: Dickerson (1, Zambrano, C).
HR: Votto (3, 8th inning off Cotts, 0 on, 0 out).
TB: Taveras 3; Dickerson 4; Votto 9; Bruce; Phillips, B; Hernandez, R 2; Gonzalez, A.
RBI: Bruce (9), Votto 2 (15), Gonzalez, A (2), Dickerson 2 (5).
2-out RBI: Dickerson 2.
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Encarnacion 2; Bruce; Dickerson.
GIDP: Phillips, B.
Team RISP: 4-for-14.
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING
SB: Taveras (4, 2nd base off Zambrano, C/Soto).

FIELDING
E: Dickerson (3, fielding), Encarnacion (2, fielding).
DP: (Gonzalez, A-Phillips, B-Votto).
 
Chi Cubs AB R H RBI BB SO LOB AVG
Soriano, A, LF 4 1 2 0 0 1 1 .317
Theriot, SS 4 0 1 1 0 0 1 .365
Fukudome, CF 3 0 1 0 1 0 0 .347
Lee, D, 1B 4 0 0 0 0 1 1 .207
Ramirez, A, 3B 4 0 1 0 0 0 3 .353
Hoffpauir, M, RF 4 0 1 0 0 0 4 .350
Soto, C 3 0 0 0 1 0 3 .103
Fontenot, 2B 3 0 1 0 0 0 2 .209
Zambrano, C, P 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 .000
  Cotts, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
  a-Miles, PH 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 .100
  Samardzija, P 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000
Totals 32 1 7 1 2 4 16  

a-Struck out for Cotts in the 8th.

BATTING
2B: Soriano, A (4, Harang).
TB: Soriano, A 3; Theriot; Fukudome; Ramirez, A; Hoffpauir, M; Fontenot.
RBI: Theriot (5).
Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Fontenot; Theriot; Soto.
GIDP: Soto.
Team RISP: 1-for-7.
Team LOB: 6.

BASERUNNING
CS: Theriot (2, 2nd base by Harang/Hernandez, R), Soriano, A (2, 3rd base by Harang/Hernandez, R).

FIELDING
E: Zambrano, C (1, pickoff), Hoffpauir, M (1, missed catch).
Outfield assists: Fukudome (Phillips, B at 2nd base).
DP: (Fontenot-Lee, D).
 
Cincinnati IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Harang (W, 2-2) 7.0 7 1 0 1 2 0 2.00
Weathers 1.0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0.00
Masset 1.0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1.50
 
Chi Cubs IP H R ER BB SO HR ERA
Zambrano, C (L, 1-1) 7.0 7 4 3 2 7 0 4.85
Cotts 1.0 2 1 1 0 1 1 4.50
Samardzija 1.0 4 2 2 0 1 0 18.00

Harang pitched to 1 batter in the 8th.

WP: Weathers, Zambrano, C.
Pitches-strikes: Harang 105-66, Weathers 19-14, Masset 12-7, Zambrano, C 109-64, Cotts 19-14, Samardzija 27-19.
Groundouts-flyouts: Harang 6-11, Weathers 0-1, Masset 0-3, Zambrano, C 12-2, Cotts 1-0, Samardzija 1-1.
Batters faced: Harang 26, Weathers 3, Masset 5, Zambrano, C 29, Cotts 4, Samardzija 7.
Inherited runners-scored: Weathers 1-0.
Umpires: HP: James Hoye. 1B: Adrian Johnson. 2B: Randy Marsh. 3B: Lance Barksdale.
Weather: 51 degrees, partly cloudy.
Wind: 8 mph, In from RF.
T: 2:42.
Att: 40,039.
April 23, 2009

Box score official statistics approved by Major League Baseball Office of the Commissioner