Patterson, Alou Pace Cub Victory

Sammy Sosa couldn’t get a hit. Kerry Wood couldn’t get past the fifth inning.

Big problems? Not for these newly confident Chicago Cubs.

Corey Patterson homered, and Moises Alou doubled with the bases loaded Monday, leading the defending National League Central champions to a 7-4 victory over the Reds at Cincinnati.

After winning their first division title in 14 years, the Cubs got a good start on their next quest: consecutive winning seasons for the first time since 1971-72.

“Last year, we were not really sure how good we were,” said Patterson, who tore knee ligaments July 6 and sat out the rest of the season. “Since we did well last year, it builds more confidence. We know everyone is gunning for us.”

The Reds had another disappointing debut in Great American Ball Park, where a crowd of 42,122 watched a lineup lacking Ken Griffey Jr. stumble out of the gate once again.

Griffey reluctantly took a few more days to rest a strained calf injured a week ago in Florida. The injury-prone outfielder paced in the dugout with a bat in each hand, but never got to hit.

“We played some spring training games without him and we did all right, but you always want a stud like that in your lineup,” shortstop Barry Larkin said.

Sosa was 0 for 4 with a walk, failing to get the ball out of the infield in his first three at-bats.

Wood needed 95 pitches to make it through five innings. The right-hander gave up five hits and four runs, striking out six, and repeatedly worked deep in the count.

Pittsburgh 2, Philadelphia 1 -- Kip Wells was overpowering in working out of two big jams and outdueling Kevin Millwood, and the Pirates rode Craig Wilson’s homer and Tike Redman’s tiebreaking double to a victory at Pittsburgh.

Wells provided the strong start and castoff Phillie closer Jose Mesa the big finish, pitching the ninth for the save against his former club.

The Phillies dumped Mesa and his 6.28 earned-run average after last season to trade for former Astro closer Billy Wagner, who never got in the game.

Milwaukee 8, St. Louis 6 -- The Brewers’ victory over the Cardinals at St. Louis lifted the franchise above .500 for the first time in two years.

Ben Grieve hit a two-run homer and Scott Podsednik had four RBIs, including a tiebreaking, three-run shot off Matt Morris in the sixth inning for the Brewers, who began last season with six consecutive losses and never recovered in a 68-94 season.