Reds rally past Cubs

Baseball Betting Lines

04/13/2007 - Chicago, IL (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Josh Hamilton had two RBI and scored a run, and the Cincinnati Reds erased a five-run deficit with a six-run fifth inning before hanging on to beat the Chicago Cubs, 6-5, at Wrigley Field.

Ken Griffey Jr. went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored, while Scott Hatteberg and Javier Valentin each knocked in a run for the Reds, who have won two straight after a three-game slide.

Starter Aaron Harang allowed five runs on nine hits, with a pair of walks and three strikeouts in four innings of work for Cincinnati. Todd Coffey (1-0) picked up the win with two innings of scoreless relief, and David Weathers worked the ninth for his fourth save.

Carlos Zambrano (1-2) was charged with six runs on six hits with four walks and two strikeouts in four-plus innings for the Cubs. He departed in the fifth with the bases load before giving way to Will Ohman, who walked the next two batters to fully erase a 5-0 Chicago lead and put the Reds on top for good.

Ryan Theriot went 3-for-5 with two RBI for the Cubs, who have dropped four straight. Michael Barrett had a pair of hits and knocked in a run, and Zambrano finished 2-for-2, including a home run off Harang in the fourth inning.

The game didn't stay scoreless long, as Chicago plated two runners in the bottom of the first frame to grab a 2-0 lead.

Jacque Jones banged a two-out single to left, stole second and came around to score when Derrek Lee doubled on a sharp line drive to left. Barrett followed with a single to plate Lee and make it 2-0. Cliff Floyd's base hit then put runners at the corners, but Ronny Cedeno grounded into a force out to end the inning.

Zambrano helped his own cause in the second, doubling to left and scoring on Theriot's single to make it 3-0.

Chicago tacked on a pair in the fourth, as Zambrano continued to swing the bat well, launching a lead-off home run that barely reached the other side of the wall in left-center. Alfonso Soriano followed with a double, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Theriot's single to center to give the Cubs a 5-0 cushion.

Finally, though, the Reds got to Zambrano for sixth runs in the fifth.

The rally started when Juan Castro and pinch-hitter Chad Moeller had back-to- back singles. Brandon Phillips walked to load the bases and Hamilton followed with a hit to right to knock in two and put runners at the corners.

The inning continued when Adam Dunn singled to score Phillips, Griffey doubled to right to knock in Hamilton, and Edwin Encarnacion was hit by a pitch to re-load the bases. Ohman came on in relief of Zambrano, but promptly walked Hatteberg and Valentin to force in two more and put the Reds on top, 6-5.

Michael Wuertz was summoned from the bullpen and struck out Castro, Moeller and Phillips in succession, bringing a close to the Cincinnati rally.

The Cubs threatened in the ninth, but with runners at first and second, Weathers retired Floyd on a fly ball to end the game.

Game Notes

The Reds have won three of four this season and five of their last six games overall against the Cubs, who won the season series in 2006 by a slim 10-9 edge...It was Zambrano's 11th career home run...Chicago third baseman Aramis Ramirez missed the game with a swollen right wrist, and second baseman Mark DeRosa didn't start because of a sore back. He entered the game in the sixth inning.