Recap: Cincinnati vs. St. Louis
Sports Network | September 17, 2008
Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Andy Phillips, Jay Bruce and Paul Janish each homered to back Aaron Harang's first shutout of the season as the Cincinnati Reds squashed the slumping Cardinals, 3-0 in the second tilt of a three-game set.
Harang (5-16), winless in his previous four starts, scattered six hits without allowing a run or a walk and fanning four for Cincinnati, which has won four in a row. Harang also had a single to account for the Reds' only other hit besides the long balls. It was the righty's fifth career shutout.
Todd Wellemeyer (12-8) allowed three runs on four hits and two walks with six strikeouts in six innings on the mound, but lost for the fourth time in five starts. Felipe Lopez had two of the Cards' six hits, as St. Louis dropped its seventh straight
The Reds went hitless in their first three at-bats but came alive in the fourth. Phillips took a fastball to straightaway center for his second home run of the season, and Bruce followed with one of his own in the same area with an additional 30 feet attached. Two outs later Janish relocated a Wellemeyer offering into the left field seats for his first career homer.
Harang, who had won 16 games in each of the previous two seasons, kept the Cards hitless in five at-bats with runners in scoring position, stranding six base runners.
With 106 pitches thrown entering the ninth inning, Harang stayed in the game and retired the Cardinals in order -- on only five pitches -- with a pair of flyouts and a weak groundout to complete by far his best outing of the season.
Bruce recorded his 19th homer of his rookie season...Harang now has 11 complete games in his career. It was also the Reds' first shutout of the season...St. Louis has won six of 11 matchups with the Reds this season...Game time: 2:16.
