Reds Rally Late To Swat Nats
POSTED: 2:10 am EDT July 6,
2008
Cincinnati, OH -- (Sports Network) - Jerry Hairston Jr. singled to start the ninth, stole second, and scored the winning run on a Brandon Phillips single, as the Cincinnati Reds edged the Washington Nationals, 3-2, in the third installment of a four-game series at Great American Ball Park.Hairston was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and Phillips had two hits and two runs batted in. Paul Bako gave the Reds an abbreviated lead with an RBI single in the eighth for Cincinnati, which has taken the first three games of the series. Francisco Cordero (4-1) was handed the win, despite his fourth blown save of the season, having allowed a run on one hit and a walk in the ninth. Reds starter Josh Fogg, just off the disabled list, tossed six innings of one- run ball on six hits in taking Aaron Harang's spot in the rotation. Harang had to be skipped after experiencing stiffness in his right forearm. Nationals starter Tim Redding equaled Fogg with six innings of one-run ball but on eight hits. Redding helped himself with an RBI single in recording his ninth straight no-decision. Jesus Flores tied the game with a sacrifice fly in the road ninth to record the other RBI for Washington, which has dropped four straight and five of six overall. Hairston singled to start the ninth off Joel Hanrahan (5-3) and stole second before Jay Bruce went down on strikes. Hanrahan intentionally walked Ken Griffey Jr. before giving way to Luis Ayala. Phillips then delivered Hairston home by lacing the game-winning, one-out single to left. Washington put a run on the board in the second. Austin Kearns walked to start the inning and moved to second on an Aaron Boone single to left. Redding then helped himself with a two-out RBI single to center. Cincinnati tied the game in the fifth. Hairston lined a single to right, moved to third on a Griffey single two batters later and scored on a sacrifice fly from Phillips. The Reds moved ahead by one in the eighth. Hanrahan started the inning for the Nationals and got two quick groundouts but walked Joey Votto, who moved to third on an Edwin Encarnacion single to right-center. Bako followed with a single through the right side and the Reds had a 2-1 lead heading to the ninth. Cordero entered to close things out in the ninth but wound up putting Washington's first two batters on base, walking Dimitri Young before Kearns singled to center. Boone moved both runners into scoring position with a sacrifice bunt and Flores tied the game at two with a sacrifice fly. Game Notes The Reds reinstated Fogg from the 15-day disabled list Saturday, in time to toe the rubber in place of fellow righty Harang, who is now scheduled to pitch Tuesday against the Cubs...Sunday's scheduled starters are Edinson Volquez (10-3) for Cincinnati and Collin Balester (1-0) for Washington...The Reds are now 4-2 in the midst of a seven-game homestand...Washington took six of seven matchups with Cincinnati last season...Washington shortstop Cristian Guzman extended his hitting streak to 13 games with a single in the third inning...Nationals left fielder Elijah Dukes left the game in the seventh after straining the patella in his right knee.
Copyright 2008 Courtesy of The Sports Network.







