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Bako delivers game-winning hit for Reds

Apr 5, 2008 - 9:05 PM By Doug Tifft PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- The Cincinnati Reds are developing a flair for the dramatic early in the 2008 season.

After a walk-off home run by Edwin Encarnacion on Wednesday, the Reds waited until the ninth inning Saturday to post a 4-3 victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

With the game knotted at 3-3, the Reds put together a rally in the bottom of the ninth on a pair of walks by Adam Dunn and Encarnacion.

After a sacrifice by Norris Hopper, Paul Bako ended the game on a base hit to the left side of the infield, plating pinch runner Ryan Freel with the winning run.

"Sometimes you just got to hit it where they ain't," Bako said.

Bako's dribbler made a winner of Francisco Cordero (1-1), who pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

"That's the type of baseball you got to play to win," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Guys are believing that they can win these games now, and with our much improved bullpen, we can hold them until our offense does something."

Bako's hit came as a result of Phillies shortstop Jimmy Rollins being unable to cleanly field a groundball to his right.

"Out of all of the line drives and rockets hit today, a groundball wins it," Rollins said. "But that's how it goes sometimes."

Starter Aaron Harang went seven innings for the Reds, giving up two runs and six hits while striking out six.

Harang worked out of trouble in the sixth after allowing an RBI double to Pat Burrell. He loaded the bases with only one out but recovered by striking out Greg Dobbs and inducing Chris Coste to fly out, keeping the game knotted at 2-2.

"I was getting ahead of myself, trying to be too quick to the plate," Harang said. "I just had to calm myself down. The adrenaline got going and I was just really trying to overdo it."

The only other trouble that Harang ran into was a triple to Shane Victorino in the third that was followed by a double by Chase Utley. It was Utley's fourth RBI of the series.

Kent Mercker followed Harang in the eighth and allowed Ryan Howard's first home run of the season, which gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead. The 479-foot blast tied for the sixth-longest homer in the history of Great American Ballpark.

"I don't know when (the last time I hit a ball that far) was," Howard said. "I didn't really see where it landed. I just tried to put a solid swing on it, and have a good at-bat."

Corey Patterson knotted the score in the bottom half of the inning with his second home run of the season.

"I don't think I'm a typical home run hitter," Patterson said. "I was trying to really get on base, hit a line drive and it just got over the wall."

Adam Eaton started for the Phillies and pitched 7 2/3 innings, allowing three runs and six hits.

"You want to give your team a chance to win and I was able to do that," Eaton said. "I got into a nice groove, made some pitches, but unfortunately wasted Howard's late homer."

Tom Gordon took over for the Phillies in the eighth, striking out Brandon Phillips to retire the side. Chad Durbin (0-1) took the loss after only retiring one batter in the ninth.