Reds, Cubs, Cardinals win

The Ken Griffey/Sean Casey tandem went a combined 4-for-9 with three HR, four runs and seven RBIs as the Reds beat the Marlins, 9-7, tonight in Florida. The 91-degree weather agreed with old Barry Larkin, who went 3-for-5 with two runs and an RBI, and Wily Mo Pena continued to press for more playing time with two hits and his fourth homer. Jason Larue continued the misery with an 0-for-3 performance and two errors. Todd Van Poppel was battered through 96 pitches. Riedling was just as bad in the sixth but Jones and Graves shut the Marlins down to finish the game.

In Chicago, Greg Maddux and the Cubs beat Roy Oswalt and the Astros, 3-1. Moises Alou continues to change the headlines after that urine-soaking secret leaked out. He went 3-for-4 with a double and his 13th home run. Maddux was great and Borowski got the save after making it interesting once again.

Oswalt was OK again. Biggio had two hits and a walk, but Bagwell was 1-for-4 with only a single. Hidalgo had one hit, a double. Berkman carried the team that short distance with his 14th HR, a two-out solo shot off Maddux.

Kris Benson was awful again and the Cardinals thumped the Pirates before 12,582 fans at PNC Park. Albert Pujols and Scott Rolen humiliated the Pirates. The Cardinals even got production from Tony Womack, who homered off Benson in the fifth. When you give up a home run to Tony Womack, it's time to take a good look in the mirror. Even the pitcher, Jason Marquis, had a double off Benson. On the other hand, Reggie Sanders was 0-for-5 with two strikeouts tonight.

For the Bucs, Mark Corey was excellent in his first game of the year. Craig Wilson went 4-for-4 with his twelfth homer, a two-run shot that gave the Bucs a rare but temporary early lead. Tike Redman was 0-for-3 before being lifted for a pinch-hitter. Bobby Hill got the start at second and went 0-for-4.

The Brewers lost in Los Angeles in ten innings. The news is more painful than cheering for the Brew crew. Bill Hall started, batted second, and went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts and an RBI. Spivey, Overbay, and Ginter equally contributed to a combined 0-for-12 afternoon. Geoff Jenkins showed signs of life by going 3-for-4 with a double and a HR.

The Brewer pitching was solid. Fellow clowns Wise and Kinney combined for seven shutout innings. Vizcaino added an eighth and Danny Kolb blew his first save. Left with Dave Burba to pitch the tenth, the Brewers, predictably, lost the game. It's not like they hit well enough to feel cheated.

The Pirates are one game under .500 and five games out of first.