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Feliz, Alfonzo help Giants beat Harang and Reds

Sep 24, 2007 - 12:23 AM By Ryan McCrary PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

SAN FRANCISCO (Ticker) -- Pedro Feliz hit a game-tying two-run homer and Eliezer Alfonzo plated the go-ahead run in a five-run sixth as the San Francisco Giants posted a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Suprisingly enough, the Giants' rally came without Barry Bonds, and against National League Cy Young Award candidate Aaron Harang.

Harang (16-5) cruised through five innings, allowing just four hits and striking out seven. However, it all unraveled in the sixth.

The 6-7 righthander squandered a four-run lead as he allowed five runs and seven hits as the Giants sent nine men to the plate in the frame.

"Sometimes that's how the game works," Harang said. "You can have that one inning that can change the outcome of the game and that was it."

Rookie Rajai Davis lead off with a single to right and Kevin Frandsen followed with a single. Fred Lewis plated Davis with a double to make the score 4-2 and one batter later Nate Schierholtz scored Davis with a ground out.

Feliz then blasted a two-run shot to left that tied the game at 4-4, and Dan Ortmeier hit a ball that got past a diving Norris Hopper in center for a double. Alfonzo then gave the Giants a 5-4 lead with a single.

"You try to do whatever you can to change it up but it didn't go in my favor," Harang said. "A couple of balls find a hole and they get a little rally going. When that happens you try to bring it back under control. Then I throw the ball over the guy's shoulder and he whacks it out of the park."

For Feliz it was hit fourth straight 20-plus home run season for the Giants.

"I feel good about it," said Feliz, who will be a free agent after this season.

"I was happy I helped put the team in a better position. I play the game hard and try my best." "I can't say anything about it (free agency), because I don't know anything about it. I just keep playing and wait and see what happens. I'd be happy to be back. Like I said, I'm just going to wait and see what happens."

Harang allowed five runs and 10 hits in seven innings and had his personal two-game winning streak snapped.

"Aaron was cruising. It was a shocker that he couldn't locate his pitches all of a sudden, Cincinnati manager Pete Mackanin said.

"We didn't have a lot going early but David (Ross) gets that home run and we're up 4-0 with our ace on the mound," Mackanin said. "You think you might cruise. He always seems to have one bad inning, but usually he gets through it. Today he didn't. I sent him back out to give him a chance to win it, he's earned that, and he shut them down."

Randy Messenger (2-4) got the final out of the sixth to pick up the win and Brian Wilson worked around a one-out double in the ninth to record his sixth save in as many chances.

Cincinnati struck for two runs in the first, courtesy of a two-run home run to left from Jeff Keppinger, following Norris Hopper's leadoff walk.

The Reds offense went silent from there until rallying with two outs in the sixth. Votto and former Giant Jason Ellison singled to chase reliever Jack Taschner.

Ross drove the first pitch he saw from Messenger to deep right center for a two-run double, staking the Reds to a 4-0 lead.

San Francisco starter Travis Blackley allowed two runs and three hits in five innings in his first start since July 31, 2004.

"I was excited to be out there," Blackley said. "It's what I've wanted for the last three years since the last time I was up. I was a little shaky, a little stiff early, but once I started to get my feet under me again, I just concentrated on pitching from behind and keeping the team in the game and see if we can't win it."

Bonds was out of the of the lineup for the eighth straight game nursing a sore toe.