Ross and Harang help Reds to sweep of slumping Cards

Sep 13, 2007, 19:48 GMT

Cincinnati, OH - David Ross hit a two-run home run and Aaron Harang pitched seven strong innings as the Cincinnati Reds completed a three- game sweep of the struggling St. Louis Cardinals with a 5-4 victory at Great American Ball Park.

Harang (15-4) continued his impressive 2007 season, giving up just three hits and three runs, while Joey Votto went 3-for-4 with a two-run double for the Reds, who have won five of six to move three games behind the Cardinals for third place in the NL Central.

St. Louis threatened in the ninth as Albert Pujols led off with a double and scored on Jim Edmonds' single to make it a one-run game.

Ryan Ludwick followed with a fly ball to deep left field, but Buck Coats made the catch at the warning track. David Weathers retired the next two batters to record his 30th save and give the Reds their first three-game sweep of St. Louis in Cincinnati since 1998.

Pujols had a pair of sacrifice flies and David Eckstein went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored for the Cardinals, who went winless during a seven-game road trip and fell five games off the NL Central lead.

St. Louis starter Kip Wells (6-17) was tagged for five runs on 10 hits and six walks over 4 2/3 innings.

St. Louis struck first as Eckstein led off the game with a double, went to third on Miguel Cairo's bunt and scored on Pujols' sacrifice fly to center.

Cincinnati answered with a run in the fourth on Jeff Keppinger's bases-loaded sac fly before scoring four runs in the fifth to take the lead.

Brandon Phillips led off the inning with a double and Wells intentionally walked Edwin Encarnacion one-out later. Votto's double brought in two runs before Ross connected on his 16th home run to make it 5-1 Cincinnati. Norris Hopper's two-out single sent Wells to the showers early.

Harang, meanwhile, retired 15 straight batters after Eckstein's double before walking pinch-hitter Russell Branyan to start the sixth. Brendan Ryan followed with a double and Eckstein's sac fly plated Branyan and sent Ryan to third.

After Cairo's walk, Pujols' second sac fly of the game brought the Cardinals within two runs, but Ross caught Cairo stealing to end the inning.

Game Notes

Hopper tied a career-high with four hits for Cincinnati...Pujols now has 91 RBI for the season...Attendance was 18,018.

© 2007 The Sports Network

Game Notes

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