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Phillips' grand slam leads Reds past Mets

Jul 14, 2007 - 3:23 AM FLUSHING, New York (Ticker) -- Brandon Phillips made up for a costly mistake in a big way.

Phillips hit a grand slam and tied a career high with six RBI and Aaron Harang won his fourth straight decision as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the New York Mets, 8-4, in the second game of a four-game series Friday.

The Reds improved to 6-2 under interim manager Pete Mackanin, including a 3-2 loss to the Mets on Thursday in which Phillips was caught off second base for a pivotal baserunning miscue in the ninth inning.

"What happened yesterday, happened yesterday," said Phillips, who has 18 homers. "I don't let it carry over. It can happen to anyone."

Redemption came early on Friday, when Phillips hit his second career grand slam off John Maine (10-5) in the first inning. He added an RBI double in a three-run fifth and a run-scoring single in the sixth.

Phillips' other six-RBI performance came on April 20, 2006 against Milwaukee.

"He's not scared. He'll take down the challenge," Mackanin said. "There's more to cleanup hitters than hitting homers, but that's what he's doing."

The extra cushion was more than enough for Harang (10-2), who like Maine was left off the National League All-Star team despite a strong first half.

"Pitching with that lead, I didn't have to be as fine," said Harang, who threw 107 pitches. "I ended up throwing a lot of pitches,"

The Reds have won each of the last seven starts by Harang, who allowed three runs and seven hits in six innings. The 6-foot-7 righthander struck out eight, including all three batters he faced in the fourth.

"I think he's underrated," Mets All-Star center fielder Carlos Beltran said. "He's got a real good slider."

Lastings Milledge homered and drove in a pair of runs for the Mets, who lost for the seventh time in their last 10 games and looked sloppy doing it. Second baseman Ruben Gotay committed errors on back-to-back plays in the Reds' three-run fifth.

Maine had been dominant in winning his previous four starts, but the Reds had a four-run lead before the righthander even retired a batter.

"I didn't feel good all game," Maine said. "I didn't prepare at all. I didn't keep the game close."

Ryan Freel doubled to lead off the game and went to third on a bunt single by Norris Hopper. Ken Griffey Jr. walked before Phillips hit the first pitch from Maine over the left-center field wall for his second grand slam in 10 days.

"I was looking for a slider and he threw it," Phillips said.

Phillips belted his first grand slam off Kevin Correia of the San Francisco Giants on July 3.

The Reds quickly put two runners on in the fifth when Gotay bobbled a ground ball by Freel at second base and then was charged with another error on an errant throw to second on a grounder by Hopper.

"What can I say?" Gotay said. "I tried to make that second throw a little quick. I messed up."

Phillips made the Mets pay for the two errors with a one-out RBI double. After a walk to Adam Dunn, Alex Gonzalez lined a two-out, two-run single to make it 7-1 and finish Maine's night.

Maine, who allowed his second career grand slam, was charged with seven runs - four earned - and six hits in 4 2/3 innings.

After stranding runners at second and third in the second, the Mets cut the deficit to 4-1 in the third, when Jose Reyes walked and scored on a double into the left-center field gap by Gotay.

New York proceeded to load the bases, but Harang escaped serious damage by getting Paul Lo Duca to ground into an inning-ending double play.

"That was huge," Harang said. "When you know the guys can turn it, you try to keep the ball on the ground."

The Mets scored twice in the sixth on an RBI double by Carlos Delgado and a run-scoring groundout by Milledge, who homered in the eighth off Mike Stanton.

Rickey Henderson coached first base for the Mets after being named to the post earlier in the day. Howard Johnson was named hitting coach, replacing the fired Rick Down.