New Age Reds Battle the Cubs in 5-4 win

The three first round draft choices in the starting lineup. A gritty group of young Texans faced early advesity and came out on top for the second day in a row.

Homer Bailey was struggling. The Cubs scored in three of his five innings.

Eleven batters reached base on seven hits, two walks and two hit batters. But the young Texan battled and did not let the game get out of hand.

"Homer kept us in the game. He struggled big time but he kept us in the game," manager Dusty Baker said.

In a game in which the margin of error is small, magnified by the talent scattered across major league rosters, bad things are going to happen. A mental toughness needs to develop which is why the minor leagues exist.

Bailey, Drew Stubbs and Jay Bruce dominated high school ball in Texas. They were never challenged to the extent they are at the major league level.

Bruce has hit the ball hard but his average is at .067. He was denied hits by Ryan Theriot at shortstop and hit a hard line drive to Aramis Ramirez, who was placed in the hole between short and third.

"His average doesn't show how hard he's hit the ball because of plays made against him," Baker said. "We were hitting the ball hard."

Carlos Silva and Justin Berg had pitched the first seven innings and allowed one run on just three hits.


Trailing 3-1 the Reds hung together to reach the eighth inning with Micah Owings keeping it close for three innings.

"He did just want you want a long (relief) man to do," Baker said.

Johnny Gomes and Ramon Hernandez walked against Esmalan Caridad, who was working in his third straight game. Pinch hitter, Chris Dickerson bunted to move the tying runs into scoring postition. He beat it out for a base hit.

Stubbs scored the first run of the game by hitting a triple off the rightfield wall and jogging home on a fly to right by Orlando Cabrera.

Stubbs knew that Caridad needed a strike.

"The pitcher struggled early in the inning. I knew he had come right at me," Stubbs said. "I hit at least two in pro ball but less than five in my life. I was thinking to just get a good pitch. I just tried to drive it to the outfield and when you do that home runs come sometimes."

The game wasn't over.

Veteran Francisco Cordero, who was also working in his third consecutive game, had a come back ball ricochet off him in the direction of Brandon Phillips. The secondbaseman scouped it with his bare hand a redirected it to Joey Votto at first to beat rookie, Tyler Colvin on a close play.

"He is one of the best in the game. We should give Brandon Phillips the save," Cordero said.

Indeed. Because Derrek Lee hit a long home run into the upper deck that would have tied the contest.

Bruce caught Aramis Ramirex long fly with the rightfield fence goosing him. Then the Cubs loaded the bases. Kosuke Fukadome singled. Alfonso Soriano reached base when usually sure handed veteran, Scott Rolen could not field his ground ball cleanly. Veteran Cabrera went into the hole on Mike Fontenot's ground ball and could not get the force play when he dropped the ball before making the throw.

Cordero fielded Chad Tracy's comeback ball to end the game.

"It was hard fought by both teams," Baker said. "It got hairy at the end."

"That's why I like this team so much. We've got a good mix. If for some reason somebody makes a mistake, a young player can back him up and say I've got your back don't worry. Sometimes the young player will make a mistake and the veteran guys will be there for them," Cordero said.