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Kearns powers Nationals past Arroyo, Reds

Aug 2, 2007 - 4:02 AM WASHINGTON (Ticker) -- Austin Kearns and the Washington Nationals made sure Bronson Arroyo didn't stick around for long.

Kearns homered and drove in three runs and rookie John Lannan tossed 5 2/3 effective innings as the Nationals posted a 7-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds at RFK Stadium on Wednesday night.

Washington, which has won five of six games this year against Cincinnati, scored four runs in the first and three in the second off Arroyo (4-12).

The righthander nearly no-hit Washington in his previous start here in April 2006. But he allowed seven runs and seven hits in 1 2/3 innings - the shortest outing of his career - while walking two and striking out one.

It was his second shaky start against the Nationals this season. On May 21, he allowed six runs in two frames at Cincinnati.

"He didn't have it. He left everything over the plate," Cincinnati interim manager Pete Mackanin said. "Nothing was sharp. He just didn't have it tonight."

Lannan (1-0) was ejected from his major league debut on July 26 in Philadelphia in the fifth after he hit Ryan Howard and Chase Utley with consecutive pitches.

On Wednesday, the lefthander, who yielded two runs in the sixth inning before departing, allowed two runs and five hits while walking two and striking out one.

"I was very happy with it. I felt better out there, more comfortable," Lannan said. "I'll never forget these two starts."

Lannan said he felt fine once the game began and forgot about his debut.

"I was proud of myself that I moved on," he said. "I showed I could come inside."

Chris Schroder, Ray King and Jon Rauch combined to shut out Cincinnati in the final 3 1/3 frames.

Washington manager Manny Acta was happy with Lannan, but he would have liked to see him pitch a little deeper into the game.

"He threw very well, but he could have thrown more first-pitch strikes," Acta said.

Ryan Church praised the 22-year-old lefthander, who started the season with Class A Potomac before being promoted to Class AA Harrisburg and Class AAA Columbus. He was 12-3 with a 2.35 ERA in 20 minor-league games.

"He's come a long way this year. He's moved up the ranks," Church said.

In the first inning, Dmitri Young drove in the first run with a single, Kearns followed with a run-scoring double and Church hit a two-run single to give Washington a 4-0 lead.

One inning later, Ronnie Belliard's double scored Felipe Lopez and, with two outs, Kearns drilled a two-run homer off the facing of the left field upper deck, his eighth of the season, to make it 7-0.

"Last year, I dominated these guys both times I faced them," Arroyo said. "For whatever reason, I struggled against these guys both times (this season). I got killed in the first inning. That just put us behind the eight-ball."

Brandon Phillips was credited with two stolen bases on the same play in the fourth inning for the Reds. In a rare play, Phillips took off from first as Washington catcher Brian Schneider tossed the ball back to Lannan.

When Phillips noticed no one covering third, he scampered to the vacated bag. As Phillips ran out of the clubhouse, he was asked if he ever stole two bases on one play.

"Never, maybe in Little League," he said with a laugh.