Losing string continues for Reds, Harang

Today’s game

CINCINNATI — Aaron Harang couldn’t get a ‘W’ if Vanna White was giving them away free on Wheel of Fortune. His wheel contains nothing but ‘L’s (losses), ‘D’s (defeats) and ‘ND’s (no decisions).

For the 13th straight time, Harang trudged off a pitching mound without a win when he lost Monday in Great American Ball Park, 4-2, to the Chicago Cubs.

With all the blue in the stands, the Windy City entry should be known as the Cincinnati Cubs when they play in this park and their fans dominate the noise.

Chicago righthander Randy Wells dominated the Reds for seven innings (no runs, four hits) and handing them their fifth straight defeat and 13th in 14 games.

Meanwhile, over his last 13 starts, Harang is 0-9 with four no-decisions and true to form he gave up some early runs, then was nearly untouchable while his teammates avoided home plate as if it was surrounded by puff adders.

Harang gave up a three-run home run in the second inning to Mike Fontenot, then two hits over the next five innings while striking out 10. When he gave up a one-out run-scoring double in the eighth on his 114th pitch, his night was over.

Fontenot, not a home run hitter, has three off Harang and his previous home run before Monday’s was off Harang.

“I felt good, was making pitches, made one mistake,” said Harang. “I can’t do anything else about it. I made some good pitches to him earlier in the at-bat, but things just didn’t go my way.”

They haven’t gone his way, or the Reds’ way for a long time and manager Dusty Baker said, “As bad as we need a win, Harang needs one even worse. People have been on me for sending him back out for two batters after a rain delay to get a win but isn’t that is last one?”

Yes, it is. May 25 against Houston. Exasperating?

“What can you do, you know?” he said. “Go out and give us a chance to win, but I can’t seem to muster anything up early on. After that home run, I didn’t make any more bad pitches, even that double to Lee (for a run in the eighth). He just gussed right and obviously was looking for a slider.

“If I try to go out there and press, be perfect, that’s when you really get in trouble,” Harang added. “You’re going to give up a run here and there, but. . .”

Yeah, but.

The Reds’ first run came in the eighth when Alex Gonzalez, benched for lackadaisical play Sunday, came off the bench in a double swith and hit a home run on the 10th pitch of the at-bat, “The best at-bat he’s had all year,” said Baker.

After the home run, the Reds put two aboard with one out, but Brandon Phillips, the potential tying run, hit into an inning-ending double play.

The Reds scored a run off Carlos Marmol in the ninth and had the tying runs on second and third with two outs and Willy Taveras due up.

“I was down to Scott Rolen and Drew Sutton,” said Baker. “Everybody was expecting Rolen, but he was not available. He had an MRI on his head today after getting hit Sunday and he is day-to-day. When you gset hit like that, something is bruised — your skull or your brain or something.

“And I wasn’t going to put the kid (Sutton) up there in that situation,” said Baker.

On the second pitch, Taveras grounded out to end the game.

And the Reds can’t even win with the umpires when the pitcher doesn’t even say anything.

David Weathers was ejected after the eighth inning (he walked two) and he said he said, “Nice job,” to catcher Ryan Hanigan. Suddenly umpire Paul Emmel said, “What are you looking at?” Weathers said, “What did you say?” And Emmel repeated, “What are you looking at?” Then he ejected Weathers.

“Seems like we can’t make a single mistake,” said Baker. “When we do the other team capitalizes on it, whether it’s a foiled double play or whatever.”