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DeRosa caps huge night with walk-off single in Cubs' win

Sep 18, 2007 - 5:26 AM CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Mark DeRosa went 5-for-5, including a walk-off single in the ninth inning, as the Chicago Cubs rallied for a 7-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday.

Aramis Ramirez tied the game with a two-run triple off closer David Weathers as Chicago (79-72) maintained its one-game lead over the Milwaukee Brewers (77-72) in the National League Central.

Chicago trailed, 6-4, entering the final frame, but Ryan Theriot drew a leadoff walk and Derrek Lee singled to right-center field to bring up Ramirez, who laced a shot to center that escaped a diving Norris Hopper and rolled all the way to the wall.

"Hopper is a good fielder and got close to catching the ball," Ramirez said. "We didn't play the way we wanted to, but we ended up with the win. That is what counts."

Daryle Ward then drew an intentional walk.

Cincinnati manager Pete Mackanin elected to bring Hopper in as a sixth infielder, but DeRosa hit a comebacker off Weathers (2-6) which allowed pinch runner Sam Fuld to score the winning run.

"In that situation I was trying to hit a fly ball," DeRosa said. "I was lucky that I got some wood on it and it got past Weathers. This is a huge win for us."

"I did what I wanted to against DeRosa, but I have to make the play," Weathers said. "It was a bad outing and I feel sorry for Bronson (Arroyo), he deserved to win the game. When you get to that point of the game with a two-run lead you have to seal the deal."

Will Ohman (2-4) threw a scoreless inning to pick up the win.

"This kind of a win is our M-O," Ohman said. "We are not going to lay down and die. We know what is at stake with 11 games to go, if we were willing to pack it in on this game then we didn't deserve to win."

DeRosa's key hit spoiled a great effort by Jeff Keppinger, who had three hits and drove in a pair of runs for Cincinnati, finishing a homer shy of the cycle.

"I am not happy about the loss but there were some positives," Mackanin said. "Keppinger continues to get the job done."

He helped Cincinnati take a 5-4 lead in the sixth with an RBI double off Cubs starter Rich Hill. Ken Griffey Jr. followed with a single to right for a 6-4 lead.

Hill allowed four runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings with seven strikeouts and one walk.

"Hill threw a lot of pitches the last time out," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "I wasn't shocked that he faded in the middle innings."

The Cubs took a 3-1 lead as Cliff Floyd hit a two-run homer off Arroyo and DeRosa followed with a solo shot.

Arroyo allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings with six strikeouts and two walks.

The Reds protested the game because Piniella failed to tell home plate umpire Rick Reed of a double switch, before going to first base to argue a call in the fifth inning. Mackanin claimed Piniella had to notify the umpire first before going to the mound.