Cubs Hold On to Defeat Reds

Sammy Sosa hit a three-run homer and the Chicago Cubs held on for a rough-and-tumble 5-4 victory Saturday night that included Jack McKeon’s first ejection as the Cincinnati Reds’ manager.

Cubs catcher Scott Servais was bowled over by Jon Nunnally but held on for a first-inning out that helped Mark Clark (3-5) settle in for his first victory since April 6. The right-hander ended a streak of five losses, allowing eight hits in seven-plus innings.

Second baseman Manny Alexander muffed a potential inning-ending double play ball and allowed a run to score in the eighth to to allow the Reds to pull within 5-4, but reliever Terry Adams ended the threat. Rod Beck pitched the ninth for his 13th save in 14 chances.

The Cubs, in winning for the fifth time in six games, sent nine batters to the plate for four runs in the third inning. Sosa’s eighth homer helped the Cubs pull ahead, 5-0.

Red starter Mike Remlinger (3-5) left the game after pulling groin muscles on a pitch in the second inning. There was no word on how long he might be sidelined.

McKeon was ejected by second base umpire Jerry Crawford during a comical exchange in the second inning. Crawford ruled that Alexander held onto the ball long enough to retire Bret Boone on a force at second, and McKeon went nose-to-nose with the umpire. The two simultaneously bobbed their heads side-to-side during the animated argument.

“This is my first time in eight or nine years. That’s pretty good,” said McKeon, who has managed the Reds for 105 games since taking over for Ray Knight last July. “I don’t normally go out there on bang-bang plays because it’s a waste of time. It was probably a waste of my time today, but the guy went to take it out of his glove and he never had it.”

Crawford also had a fan behind home plate thrown out in the eighth inning. The fan was shining a light beam at the field, according to Reds’ security.

The loss ended Cincinnati’s winning streak at three games, its season high, and dropped the Reds to .500 (21-21) for the 10th time this season. Cincinnati has not been more than a game over the break-even mark.

Servais set the tone for Chicago in the first inning, when Nunnally tried to score from second base on Dmitri Young’s single to right. Sosa’s throw short-hopped the catcher, who grabbed it while blocking the plate and made the tag as Nunnally ran him over.

Servais’ run-scoring groundout put the Cubs ahead to stay in the second, and Chicago followed with the four-run third against Scott Sullivan.

Boone and Barry Larkin hit solo homers and Reggie Sanders had a run-scoring triple that cut the Reds’ deficit to 5-3 in the sixth.