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Phillips, Hatteberg atone for mistakes in Reds win

Apr 21, 2007 - 5:48 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Brandon Phillips and Scott Hatteberg atoned for their costly errors.

Phillips smoked a walk-off 10th-inning single to left field that gave the Cincinnati Reds a 2-1 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Hatteberg and Phillips each made fourth-inning errors that led to the Phillies' lone run. With the Reds down to their last out, Hatteberg made up for it by drilling a 3-1 offering from Philadelphia closer Tom Gordon into the right field stands to tie the game.

Hatteberg had some inside information, having caught Gordon in Boston from 1996 to 1999.

"I've caught Flash before and faced him several times," Hatteberg said. "He threw me a cutter over the plate. ... We didn't play our best tonight. It seemed like we were asleep most of the game. It was good for us to get that miracle."

The Reds then loaded the bases in the 10th with one out on two walks and a single by Ryan Freel. Phillips then singled to left field off Gordon (0-1), plating Javier Valentin to snap the Reds' three-game losing streak.

"Brandon Phillips likes being the guy on the spot," Cincinnati manager Jerry Narron said. "He's given us some great at-bats over the last couple of years with runners in scoring position."

"I didn't want to be in that position," Gordon said. "I didn't want to put the team in that position."

Cincinnati starter Kyle Lohse (2-0) pitched seven strong innings. The righthander who struggled last year with the Twins going 2-5 with a 7.07 ERA, allowed one unearned run and six hits but was never in real trouble.

Philadelphia's Carlos Ruiz singled to left to start the fifth. Jon Lieber hit a smash that short-hopped Hatteberg. The ball caromed off Hatteberg's glove into shallow right field and Phillips was quick to track it down. However, he rushed an off-balance throw that sailed past shortstop Alex Gonzalez, allowing Ruiz to score. Phillips' costly error was the difference in the game until Hatteberg tied it.

"The game shouldn't have been like that in the first place," Phillips said. "I just tried to make a play and it didn't work out. Honestly, in my mind and heart, when the game is on the line, I want to be the guy up at the plate. Everybody wants to be that hero. I want to be that hero, too,"

Lieber was impressive in his first start since last September, allowing just one run and one hit in 5 2/3 innings. Lieber returned to the rotation in place of Brett Myers after working in the bullpen in the spring.

Josh Hamilton, who became just the fourth player to hit five home runs in his first 29 at-bats, started in right field for Ken Griffey Jr., who sat out his second straight game with the flu.

The Phillies were without reigning National League MVP Ryan Howard missed his second consecutive game for the Phillies, who have lost 11 of their first 15 games.

"We are a better team than we've shown." Lieber said. "We're a little snake bit right now."