Kearns Breaks Forearm in Cincinnati’s 5-2 Win

The Cincinnati Reds must deal with yet another injury to their star-crossed outfield.

Sean Casey’s two-run home run backed Aaron Harang’s effective pitching, and the Reds defeated the host Pittsburgh Pirates, 5-2, Monday night despite losing right fielder Austin Kearns indefinitely because of a broken forearm.

Kearns was hit on the left arm and wrist by a Ryan Vogelsong pitch two batters after Casey’s homer put Cincinnati ahead, 2-0, in the first inning. Kearns played defense in the bottom half of the inning but was lifted an inning later.

“I knew something was wrong,” Kearns said. “Usually you can shake it off running to first, but it felt right off the bat like it was different from every other time I’ve been hit.”

The injury comes three weeks after the Reds finally reunited their everyday outfield of Adam Dunn, Ken Griffey Jr. and Kearns, which appeared together in only 21 games last season.

Harang (2-0) gave up two runs in six innings, including Craig Wilson’s solo homer in the sixth.

Arizona 9, Chicago 0 -- Richie Sexson hit the longest home run in Phoenix’s Bank One Ballpark history, and Randy Johnson struck out 10 to help end the Cubs’ six-game winning streak.

Sexson’s two-run drive against reliever Francis Beltran in the sixth inning traveled an estimated 503 feet and smacked off his own image halfway up the giant video screen in center field, smashing several lights.

It was the 200th home run of Sexson’s career and ninth this season.

The longest homer at the seven-year-old park had been 473 feet by Scott Rolen, then with Philadelphia, against Omar Daal on April 19, 1999.

Johnson (2-2) improved to 12-0 in 13 career starts against the Cubs.

Florida 6, Colorado 3 -- Carl Pavano pitched eight strong innings, and Miguel Cabrera and Alex Gonzalez each hit a two-run homer to lift the Marlins at Denver.

Hee Seop Choi hit a homer for the Marlins, who scored all the runs in the first against Scott Elarton (0-4).

Pavano (2-0) gave up two runs and five hits to help Florida improve to a franchise-best 13-6 start.

San Diego 3, Montreal 2 -- Miguel Ojeda’s bloop single with two outs in the ninth inning scored Jay Payton from second base to lift the Padres at San Diego.

Ojeda hit the first pitch he saw from Luis Ayala (0-3) into left-center field. Payton had singled to left and advanced on a bunt by pitcher Adam Eaton, who pinch-hit for Akinori Otsuka (2-1).

San Francisco 3, Atlanta 2 -- Jason Schmidt (1-2) became the first of the Giants’ top three starters to win this season.

Barry Bonds was 0 for 1 with three walks -- two intentional -- at San Francisco, leaving him with 667 homers.

Schmidt won 17 games last season, but the Giants had not scored a run for him this year until going ahead, 3-0, in the third inning.