The Reds Take The Series with a 3-1 Win

Mike Leake's debut started out rocky.

The Cubs had the bases loaded but "The kid wiggled out of it," Lou Piniella said.

He gave up only four hits and one run, scoring on veteran Derreck Lee's RBI single in the fifth inning.

"He knew what he was doing," Lee said. "He had a lot of different pitches. We didn't have much to go on. He competed. He wasn't intimidated. We had him on the ropes. Give him credit he didn't fold. He got better."

Leake, who hates to walk batters, walked seven. He had never walked that many in a game at any level but demonstrated poise and limited damages. He had just one 1-2-3 inning. He got the first two batters out in the seventh before he walked Lee for the second time and Aramis Ramirez.

Dusty Baker sent another rookie, Logan Ondrusek, to bail out the young starter. Leake pitched 6 2/3 innings but left trailing 1-0.

The problem was that Cubs starter, Tom Gorzelanny, was shutting down the Reds.

The Reds hitters came up empty, except for Leake who had singles in both of his major league at bats.

They got on the board in the bottom of the seventh. With one out, Scott Rolen singled off Gorzelanny.
Ramon Hernandez worked a walk. Johnny Gomes hit a fly ball down the leftfield line.. Alfonso Soriano, who is not recognized as a good outfielder, took his eye off the ball and dropped it to load the bases.

Piniella brought in Sean Marshall.

Pinch hitter Miguel Cairo hit an infield single off Marshall's glove to tie the score.

Nick Masset, who now has two good outings since giving up five runs on opening day, held the Cubs in the eighth. He became the winner when Hernandez walked with the bases loaded against Esmalin Coridad and Gomes hit a sacrifice fly to rightfield.

Although he didn't get the win, Leake had a successful professional debut on the mound and at the plate. He is the first Cincinnati pitcher to get hits in his first two at bats since, Benny Frey on September 18, 1929 against Philadelphia.