Moises Alou hit a tiebreaking two-run double in the ninth inning, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-1 yesterday for their sixth win in seven games.
Chicago, which began the day a half-game behind San Francisco in the wild-card race, trailed 1-0 before pinch-hitter Ben Grieve’s sacrifice fly off Paul Wilson in the eighth.
Neifi Perez opened the ninth against Danny Graves (1-6) with a bunt and reached when third baseman Ryan Freel’s throw pulled first baseman Sean Casey off the bag for an error. Reds manager Dave Miley was ejected for the third time this season when he threw his cap to the ground while arguing the call with first-base umpire Jim Reynolds.
Aramis Ramirez then singled, and Alou doubled up the left-center field gap for a 3-1 lead. Sammy Sosa was walked intentionally, and Michael Barrett hit a two-run double for his third straight hit.
Jon Leicester (5-0) pitched a perfect eighth, and LaTroy Hawkins finished for his 23rd save in 29 chances.
Glendon Rusch, starting because Matt Clement was pushed back to the second game of Monday’s doubleheader at Florida, faced one batter over the minimum through six innings.
Wilson allowed five hits in eight innings, struck out six and walked none. He is 0-4 in 10 starts since beating Milwaukee on July 8, twice leaving games with leads that were blown by his bullpen.
Neither team got a runner past second base through the first six innings. Cincinnati went ahead in the seventh when Felipe Lopez doubled and Adam Dunn hit an RBI single that stopped an 0-for-14 slump.
Notes: Chicago’s Derrek Lee extended his hitting streak to nine games with a single to lead off the fifth inning. His career-best is 12 games, which he’s reached three times, most recently in 2002. … Reds C Javier Valentin turned 29 on Sunday. … The crowd of 41,649 gave the Reds 11 sellouts this season.
