Thu Aug 16 21:50:36 2007

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Cubs pound out 20 hits on the way to 12-4 rout

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Chicago, IL (Sports Network) - Mark DeRosa went a perfect 5-for-5 with four runs batted in, as the Chicago Cubs used a seven-run seventh to blow past the Cincinnati Reds, 12-4, in the finale of a three-game series at Wrigley Field.

Ryan Theriot added two RBI and scored three times for the Cubs, who had dropped four in a row coming in. By virtue of this win and a Milwaukee loss to St. Louis earlier in the day, Chicago pulled within a half-game of the Brewers for first place in the NL Central.

Jacque Jones had four hits and drove in a pair in a winning effort. Jones left in the eighth inning, however, after rolling his right ankle while coming out of the batter's box. Jason Marquis (10-7) was roughed up for four runs in the second inning, but blanked the Reds over the remainder of his six-plus innings of work. The bullpen allowed just two hits the rest of the way.

Bobby Livingston (3-3) took the loss after yielding five runs over five innings for Cincinnati, which had won three of four heading into the game. Adam Dunn homered in defeat, and Josh Hamilton had an RBI.

The Cubs used four RBI doubles in the first to assume early command. DeRosa, Aramis Ramirez, Jake Fox and Jones all came through with a two-bagger each to lift their team to a 4-0 lead.

The Reds responded with four runs of their own in the second to tie the contest. Dunn led off with his 32nd homer of the year, and Cincinnati went on to load the bases with one out. Hamilton was hit by a pitch in the next sequence, forcing in Scott Hatteberg, and Jeff Keppinger followed with a run- scoring single. Ken Griffey Jr. capped the surge with a base hit to right that made it 4-4.

Chicago went back in front in the fourth, as Theriot hit a one-out double and was immediately knocked in by a DeRosa base hit to right.

The home team then erupted for seven runs in the seventh to turn it into a rout. With runners on first and third with one out, Mike Stanton entered in relief and promptly yielded a run-scoring single to Jones. Koyie Hill followed with a base hit to load the bases for pinch-hitter Jason Kendall, who drew a walk to push Matt Murton home. Theriot stepped in next and came through with a two-run double to chase Stanton from the game and extend the lead to 9-4.

Mike Gosling got the call but was roughed up as well, as DeRosa greeted him with a single -- scoring a pair -- before Ramirez finished the rally with an RBI double.

Game Notes

Reliever Carmen Pignatiello made his major-league debut in the eighth for the Cubs and tossed a scoreless frame...Chicago outhit the Reds 20-9...Attendance was 40,372.