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Harang outduels Masterson as Reds top Red Sox

Jun 14, 2008 - 4:59 AM By Douglas Tifft PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Aaron Harang pitched seven strong innings and rookie Jay Bruce and Adam Dunn each homered to lead the Cincinnati Reds to a 3-1 win over the Boston Red Sox on Friday in the opener of a three-game interleague series.

Harang allowed one run and four hits while striking out seven to steady the Reds, who had lost four of their previous six games.

The long outing by Harang (3-9) was especially important for Cincinnati after it only got 14 2/3 innings out of its starters in a three-game series against St. Louis, taxing the bullpen.

"We needed that start and Aaron needed it," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

Harang bounced back from his worst start of the season at Florida on Sunday, in which he allowed seven earned runs in 5 1/3 innings.

"I think (the difference was) just trusting myself more," Harang said. "(Pitching coach Dick Pole) said, 'You just had not been being aggressive enough probably, and kind of nitpicking and not attacking the zone.' I think hitters were recognizing that and taking advantage."

Harang got some help in the top of the first when Bruce led off with a lazy fly ball that carried into the first row of seats in right field for a 1-0 lead.

It was the first leadoff home run of the season for the Reds and fourth blast of the season for Bruce.

"I am not a prototypical leadoff hitter, but my approach is the same as if I were hitting second or third or wherever I hit," Bruce said. "That was huge to get on the board quickly, especially against a good team like the Red Sox."

In the fourth, Dunn hit a line drive 378 feet to right field that barely cleared the wall for his team-leading 17th homer of the year. Later in the inning, Joey Votto delivered an RBI double to put the Reds up, 3-1.

The damage came at the expense of Red Sox rookie righthander Justin Masterson (3-1), who allowed three runs and four hits with nine strikeouts in went 6 2/3 innings. Despite the quality start, Masterson still was saddled with his first career loss.

"(He made) a couple of mistakes to lefthanders. Other than that, he was really good," Red Sox manager Terry Francona said of Masterson. "Just the bad part for us was that Harang was a little bit better."

The Red Sox got on the board in the fourth inning on an RBI single by Manny Ramirez. It was the 1,653rd career RBI for Ramirez, who passed former Reds star Tony Perez for 24th place on the all-time list.

Ramirez left the game in the eighth with a sore left hamstring.

Former Red Sean Casey got the start at first base for the Red Sox and received a standing ovation before his first at-bat. Casey also reached a milestone, as his seventh-inning single was the 1,500th hit of his career.

"I played eight years here and I've always had a great relationship with the fans, and to be able to come back and get that type of ovation was probably one of the best moments of my career," Casey said.

Jared Burton followed Harang with a perfect eighth and Francisco Cordero worked a scoreless ninth for his 13th save of the season.