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Bruce keys win in 13 over Cubs
espn.com
CINCINNATI -- Reds manager Dusty Baker's mind was worn out from another
long, long game. At least he could smile.
The Chicago Cubs? Numb, just like always.
Jay Bruce hit a tying double and scored on Cesar Izturis' two-out
single in the 13th inning Monday night, rallying Cincinnati to a 5-4
victory that gave the Cubs their fourth straight loss.
The Reds used seven pitchers, 11 position players and one pinch hitter
during their latest overtime win, this one lasting 4 hours, 35 minutes.
"I'm worn out from thinking -- double-switching, trying to keep the
pitchers in as long as we could," Baker said. "That was a good one to
win -- a great one. That's one of the best comebacks I've seen."
Luis Valbuena hit a two-run homer in the top of the 13th off Alfredo
Simon (2-1) for a 4-2 Cubs lead. But like so many other times this
season, Chicago couldn't pull out a close game.
Michael Bowden (0-1) gave up a single by Xavier Paul, Brandon Phillips'
double and Bruce's two-run double that tied it. Bruce moved up to third
on Todd Frazier's groundout.
Izturis then lined a single past diving shortstop Starlin Castro,
sending the Reds to their seventh victory in eight games on their
homestand.
Long games are the norm in Cincinnati, where the Reds have gone extra
innings four times and had another game suspended overnight because of
rain. They've played 13 innings three times.
"Long game," Izturis said. "I'm glad we got the win. When you go down
two runs, it's hard to get back in it, but we did it."
The Cubs have dropped seven of eight and 12 of 15, leaving them in last
place in the NL Central at 5-13. They've become accustomed to losing
close ones -- all 18 of their games have been decided by four runs or
fewer.
"It's hard to be down," Cubs starter Travis Wood said. "It's not like
we're getting blown out every game. We're right there. We've just got
to figure out a way to pull them out."
The game matched two starters who recently went head to head for the
fifth spot in Cincinnati's rotation. Both gave up a pair of runs and
didn't figure in the decision.
Wood, who was Cincinnati's second-round draft pick in 2005, couldn't
hold a 2-0 lead in the seventh. Bruce led off with his first homer of
the season, and Chris Heisey singled. Jack Hannahan came off the bench
and hit a triple off James Russell -- his fifth pinch hit of the season
-- to tie it.
Wood was traded to the Cubs along with two minor leaguers for reliever
Sean Marshall after the 2011 season, when the Reds chose to keep
right-hander Mike Leake at the back of their rotation. Leake, who was
Cincinnati's top pick in the June 2009 draft, had never pitched against
Wood before.
David DeJesus opened the game with a home run on Leake's third pitch,
the 13th leadoff homer of his career. Castro's RBI single in the third
inning made it 2-0 and gave him a 14-game hitting streak, matching the
best of his career. It's the longest active streak in the majors.
Cincinnati shortstop Zack Cozart was back in the lineup after missing
one game with an injured index finger. He got hit by a ball while
trying to bunt Saturday and initially thought it was broken. X-rays
were negative.
Yet another Reds player got hurt Monday, though.
Reliever Jonathan Broxton left in the eighth inning after knocking down
Nate Schierholtz's liner up the middle. A trainer examined Broxton's
right hand, and the pitcher flexed it several times before leaving the
game. X-rays were negative...
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