CINCINNATI (AP) — The Cincinnati Reds took care of business early to help Mike Leake get a big win.

They scored five first-inning runs on their way to a 7-2 win over the San Francisco Giants before a sellout crowd on Saturday.

Seven players each had a hit for the Reds on their way to a second consecutive win for just the second time since sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series in Cincinnati June 13-15. Cincinnati won the series opener 4-3 in 13 innings on Friday.

“It helped to score those first inning runs,” Dusty Baker said. “We haven’t been scoring a lot of runs lately.”

Leake, who leads the Reds in wins despite spending 13 days with Triple-A Louisville in May, earned his career-high ninth. The second-year right-hander, winner of eight games as a rookie in 2010, allowed eight hits and two runs — one earned — with no walks and seven strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings.

“I’m not going to stop there,” Leake said.

The righthander had quality starts in his last two outings but both resulted in losses as his slumping teammates scored just three runs total, including a shutout loss to Pittsburgh.

“As a pitcher you never complain about runs,” Leake said. “Our offense is coming around.”

The Giants loaded the bases with one out against Leake in the seventh, but left-hander Bill Bray came on to get Carlos Beltran to fly out harmlessly to left and Pablo Sandoval to ground out to third.

“Bray was outstanding against the middle of their order,” Baker said.

Beltran flied out in the ninth and now is 1 for 14 in three games with the Giants since being traded from the Mets on Thursday.

Logan Ondrusek and Nick Masset each added a shutout inning for the Reds.

The Reds pounced on an uncharacteristically wild Madison Bumgarner for five hits and five runs while sending 11 batters to the plate in the first inning. Brandon Phillips drove in the first run with a single to left, and Jay Bruce and Chris Heisey followed with back-to-back two-run singles up the middle.

Heisey, who is seeing most of the playing time since Jonny Gomes was traded to Washington can feel the offense heating up.

“At any point, I think our offense can take off,” Heisey said. “We didn’t have a lot of key hits lately but were able to sting them together tonight. As a hitter you hate to see a guy battling out there when you’re not scoring runs.

Bumgarner, who hadn’t walked more than one batter in any of his previous 10 starts and none in his three most recent appearances, didn’t help himself with two walks in the inning. The left-hander also hit Miguel Cairo while throwing 40 pitches, 23 for strikes.

The Giants got one run back on Sandoval’s 446-foot home run deep into the right-center field seats leading off the second, his 11th homer of the season and second in three games, but the Reds capitalized on two Giants errors to add to two unearned runs in the fourth.

Then Reds shortstop Edgar Renteria committed two errors in the fifth to hand San Francisco a gift run.

The veteran went to talk to Leake after his second miscue.

“You know he doesn’t want to make them,” Leake said. “He came in just to pick me up. When I was younger, I would have gotten angry but at some point you learn to deal with it.”

Leake, who spent no time in the minor leagues until his stint in May worked out of the jam.

“That’s the sign of a good pitcher, when you can pitch yourself out of trouble,” Baker said. “He has a lot of weapons. He has the pitches to get a double play. He’s not a strikeout pitcher but can get them when he needs to.”

Bumgarner (6-10) lasted four innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs — five earned — with three walks and four strikeouts. He also was called for a balk.

The crowd of 40,402 was Cincinnati’s 12th sellout of the season, a record for Great American Ball Park. The previous record was set in 2003, the year the ballpark opened, and tied in 2004.

Notes: LHP Aroldis Chapman hasn’t allowed a hit in 8-23 innings over his last seven appearances, the longest single-season stretch by a Reds reliever since Chuck McElroy went 11 1-3 innings in from April 25 through May 17, 1994, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Chapman has retired 25 of the last 26 batters he’s faced, with one walk and 13 strikeouts. … Giants manager Bruce Bochy planned to give 1B Aubrey Huff Saturday and Sunday off after he played all 13 innings Friday following the team’s 2:30 a.m. arrival from Philadelphia. … Reds 2B Brandon Phillips extended his hitting streak to nine games (13 for 38, .342), the team’s longest current streak.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Seven players each had a hit for the Reds on their way to a second consecutive win for just the second time since sweeping the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-game series in Cincinnati June 13-15. Cincinnati won the series opener 4-3 in 13 innings on Friday.

“It helped to score those first inning runs,” Dusty Baker said. “We haven’t been scoring a lot of runs lately.”

Leake, who leads the Reds in wins despite spending 13 days with Triple-A Louisville in May, earned his career-high ninth. The second-year right-hander, winner of eight games as a rookie in 2010, allowed eight hits and two runs — one earned — with no walks and seven strikeouts in 6 1-3 innings.

“I’m not going to stop there,” Leake said.

The righthander had quality starts in his last two outings but both resulted in losses as his slumping teammates scored just three runs total, including a shutout loss to Pittsburgh.

“As a pitcher you never complain about runs,” Leake said. “Our offense is coming around.”

The Giants loaded the bases with one out against Leake in the seventh, but left-hander Bill Bray came on to get Carlos Beltran to fly out harmlessly to left and Pablo Sandoval to ground out to third.

“Bray was outstanding against the middle of their order,” Baker said.

Beltran flied out in the ninth and now is 1 for 14 in three games with the Giants since being traded from the Mets on Thursday.

Logan Ondrusek and Nick Masset each added a shutout inning for the Reds.

The Reds pounced on an uncharacteristically wild Madison Bumgarner for five hits and five runs while sending 11 batters to the plate in the first inning. Brandon Phillips drove in the first run with a single to left, and Jay Bruce and Chris Heisey followed with back-to-back two-run singles up the middle.

Heisey, who is seeing most of the playing time since Jonny Gomes was traded to Washington can feel the offense heating up.

“At any point, I think our offense can take off,” Heisey said. “We didn’t have a lot of key hits lately but were able to sting them together tonight. As a hitter you hate to see a guy battling out there when you’re not scoring runs.

Bumgarner, who hadn’t walked more than one batter in any of his previous 10 starts and none in his three most recent appearances, didn’t help himself with two walks in the inning. The left-hander also hit Miguel Cairo while throwing 40 pitches, 23 for strikes.

The Giants got one run back on Sandoval’s 446-foot home run deep into the right-center field seats leading off the second, his 11th homer of the season and second in three games, but the Reds capitalized on two Giants errors to add to two unearned runs in the fourth.

Then Reds shortstop Edgar Renteria committed two errors in the fifth to hand San Francisco a gift run.

The veteran went to talk to Leake after his second miscue.

“You know he doesn’t want to make them,” Leake said. “He came in just to pick me up. When I was younger, I would have gotten angry but at some point you learn to deal with it.”

Leake, who spent no time in the minor leagues until his stint in May worked out of the jam.

“That’s the sign of a good pitcher, when you can pitch yourself out of trouble,” Baker said. “He has a lot of weapons. He has the pitches to get a double play. He’s not a strikeout pitcher but can get them when he needs to.”

Bumgarner (6-10) lasted four innings, allowing seven hits and seven runs — five earned — with three walks and four strikeouts. He also was called for a balk.

The crowd of 40,402 was Cincinnati’s 12th sellout of the season, a record for Great American Ball Park. The previous record was set in 2003, the year the ballpark opened, and tied in 2004.

Notes: LHP Aroldis Chapman hasn’t allowed a hit in 8-23 innings over his last seven appearances, the longest single-season stretch by a Reds reliever since Chuck McElroy went 11 1-3 innings in from April 25 through May 17, 1994, according to Elias Sports Bureau. Chapman has retired 25 of the last 26 batters he’s faced, with one walk and 13 strikeouts. … Giants manager Bruce Bochy planned to give 1B Aubrey Huff Saturday and Sunday off after he played all 13 innings Friday following the team’s 2:30 a.m. arrival from Philadelphia. … Reds 2B Brandon Phillips extended his hitting streak to nine games (13 for 38, .342), the team’s longest current streak.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Tim Lincecum believes its nothing more than a coincidence that he has looked more like a journeyman than a two-time Cy Young award winner since a 133-pitch masterpiece against Oakland last month.

Lincecum matched his career-worst performance with seven runs allowed in four-plus innings as the San Francisco Giants lost 10-2 to the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.

“I don’t feel like it’s fatigue, I don’t feel like I’m getting tired,” Lincecum said. “I don’t feel like anything is broken. I just feel like it’s a matter of just getting back to being me.”

Lincecum (5-5) was far from it against Cincinnati, allowing seven earned runs for the first time since his rookie year in 2007. He allowed seven hits and walked four and struck out a career-low one batter.

He struggled with his control all afternoon, throwing 37 balls compared to 36 strikes, and had two wild pitches. He generated only two swings and misses all day — both to Drew Stubbs, who struck to open the game.

That was the high point for Lincecum who allowed an RBI single to Ryan Hanigan in the second inning, the two runs in the third and four runs in the fifth. Lincecum now has a 7.66 ERA in four starts since throwing 133 pitches in a shutout victory against Oakland last month.

“More than anything his fastball command’s off,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “It was an off day for Timmy, I don’t know how else to tell you, especially with his command. That’s a good hitting ballclub and you’re going to pay for it if you’re off. There’s not much else to it, really. He feels good, he’s healthy. He’s just having trouble getting the ball where he wants.”

Mike Leake (6-2) had no such trouble for the Reds. He pitched eight scoreless innings and even chipped in with his bat, starting a pair of rallies with hits off Lincecum in the third and fifth innings.

“I take pride in my hitting,” Leake said. “I don’t like to get out. It’s more fun to get hits than it is to pitch good sometimes. … Anytime I’m squaring balls up, it’s pretty fun.”

Brandon Phillips hit a two-run double and scored twice and Joey Votto knocked the San Francisco ace out with an RBI double in the fifth inning to give the Reds their second win in three games in San Francisco.

Leake allowed four hits — including an infield popup by Eli Whiteside that third baseman Scott Rolen lost for a single — and struck out a career-high eight. He improved to 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in four starts since a brief stint back in the minors.

“Mainly my head is just back on straight a little bit,” Leake said. “I think I lost it there for a little.”

Leake had a 21.21 ERA in two previous outings against the Giants, including giving up six runs while retiring one batter in a relief outing in his final appearance of the season last August.

Leake doubled to lead off the two-run third inning when the Reds scored on a groundout by Jay Bruce and a wild pitch by Lincecum to make it 3-0.

Leake then singled to start the four-run fifth. Stubbs followed with a walk and both players scored on Phillips double to left field. Votto’s RBI double ended Lincecum’s briefest outing of the season and Rolen added a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0.

“That was a rare outing by Lincecum,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “That’s a two-time Cy Young award winner. He’s one of the best in the business. He wasn’t as sharp today as he usually is.”

The Reds, who went just 2-8 on their last road trip, have matched that total in three games in San Francisco. The pitching has had a big part in that with Johnny Cueto and two relievers combining on a 3-0 shutout Thursday night before Leake’s strong start. Pat Burrell broke up the shutout with a two-run homer in the ninth off Carlos Fisher — his first longball in 96 at-bats.

Cincinnati has gone a season-high four games without a home run, winning two of them.

Notes: Lincecum allowed seven runs, but only three earned runs, on May 16 against Colorado and seven earned runs to Toronto on June 13, 2007. … The Giants signed INF Bill Hall to replace injured 2B Freddy Sanchez. Hall entered the game in the fifth inning and walked in his first plate appearance for San Francisco. … The Reds are the only NL team that Lincecum has not beaten, excluding the Giants. He is 0-1 in three starts against Cincinnati.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – As good as it felt to shut out the World Series champions for eight innings, getting a pair of hits against two-time Cy Young winner Tim Lincecum really made Mike Leake’s day.

Leake held the struggling San Francisco hitters in check and started two rallies with his bat as the Cincinnati Reds gave Lincecum one of his worst beatings ever in a 10-2 victory over the Giants on Saturday.

“I take pride in my hitting,” Leake said. “I don’t like to get out. It’s more fun to get hits than it is to pitch good sometimes. … Anytime I’m squaring balls up, it’s pretty fun.”

Brandon Phillips hit a two-run double and scored twice and Joey Votto knocked the San Francisco ace out with an RBI double in the fifth inning to give the Reds their second win in three games in San Francisco.

Lincecum (5-5) matched his career worst by allowing seven runs in four-plus innings, marking the first time since his rookie year in 2007 that he had allowed seven earned runs in a game.

“I was just kind of flying all over the place,” Lincecum said. “I didn’t have any command of the zone at all. To me, that’s just kind of going back to the drawing board and getting my mechanics straight.”

With the Giants struggling to generate any offense of late, that cushion proved to be more than enough for Leake (6-2), who improved to 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in four starts since a brief stint back in the minors.

“Mainly my head is just back on straight a little bit,” Leake said. “I think I lost it there for a little.”

Leake allowed four hits — including an infield popup by Eli Whiteside that third baseman Scott Rolen lost for a single — and struck out a career-high eight. Leake had a 21.21 ERA in two previous outings against the Giants, including giving up six runs while retiring one batter in a relief outing in his final appearance of the season last August.

Leake also started a pair of rallies at the plate against Lincecum. Leake doubled to lead a the two-run third inning when the Reds scored on a groundout by Jay Bruce and a wild pitch by Lincecum to make it 3-0.

Leake then singled to start the four-run fifth. Drew Stubbs followed with a walk and both players scored on Phillips double to left field. Votto’s RBI double ended Lincecum’s briefest outing of the season and Rolen added a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0.

“That was a rare outing by Lincecum,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “That’s a two-time Cy Young award winner. He’s one of the best in the business. He wasn’t as sharp today as he usually is.”

Lincecum allowed seven hits and walked four and struck out a career-low one batter. He struggled with his control all afternoon, throwing 37 balls compared to 36 strikes, and had two wild pitches. He generated only two swings and misses all day — both to Stubbs, who struck to open the game.

That was the high point of the game for Lincecum who allowed an RBI single to Ryan Hanigan in the second inning, the two runs in the third and four runs in the fifth.

Lincecum now has a 7.66 ERA in four starts since throwing 133 pitches in a shutout victory against Oakland last month.

“More than anything his fastball command’s off,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “It was an off day for Timmy, I don’t know how else to tell you, especially with his command.

That’s a good hitting ballclub and you’re going to pay for it if you’re off. There’s not much else to it, really. He feels good, he’s healthy. He’s just having trouble getting the ball where he wants.”

The Reds, who went just 2-8 on their last road trip, have matched that total in three games in San Francisco. The pitching has had a big part in that with Johnny Cueto and two relievers combining on a 3-0 shutout Thursday night before Leake’s strong start. Pat Burrell broke up the shutout with a two-run homer in the ninth off Carlos Fisher — his first longball in 96 at-bats.

Cincinnati has gone a season-high four games without a home run, winning two of them.

Notes: Leake leads Reds pitchers with seven hits. … Lincecum allowed seven runs, but only three earned runs, on May 16 against Colorado and seven earned runs to Toronto on June 13, 2007. … The Giants signed INF Bill Hall to replace injured 2B Freddy Sanchez. Hall entered the game in the fifth inning and walked in his first plate appearance for San Francisco. … The Reds are the only NL team that Lincecum has not beaten, excluding the Giants. He is 0-1 in three starts against Cincinnati.
 

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – Mike Leake pitched eight scoreless innings
and also got two hits off Tim Lincecum as the Cincinnati Reds gave
the San Francisco ace one of his worst beatings ever in a 10-2
victory over the Giants on Saturday.
Brandon Phillips hit a two-run double and scored twice and Joey
Votto knocked the two-time Cy Young award winner out with an RBI
double in the fifth inning to give the Reds their second win in
three games in San Francisco.
Lincecum (5-5) matched his career worst by allowing seven runs
in four-plus innings, marking the first time since his rookie year
in 2007 that he had allowed seven earned runs in a game.
With the Giants struggling to generate any offense of late, that
cushion proved to be more than enough for Leake (6-2), who improved
to 3-0 with a 1.93 ERA in four starts since a brief stint back in
the minors.
Leake allowed four hits – including an infield popup by Eli
Whiteside that third baseman Scott Rolen lost for a single – and
struck out a career-high eight. Leake had a 21.21 ERA in two
previous outings against the Giants, including giving up six runs
while retiring one batter in a relief outing in his final
appearance of the season last August.
Leake also started a pair of rallies at the plate against
Lincecum. Leake doubled to lead a the two-run third inning when the
Reds scored on a groundout by Jay Bruce and a wild pitch by
Lincecum to make it 3-0.
Leake then singled to start the four-run fifth. Drew Stubbs
followed with a walk and both players scored on Phillips double to
left field. Votto’s RBI double ended Lincecum’s briefest outing of
the season and Rolen added a sacrifice fly to make it 7-0.
Lincecum allowed seven hits and walked four and struck out a
career-low one batter. He struggled with his control all afternoon,
throwing 37 balls compared to 36 strikes, and had two wild pitches.
He generated only two swings and misses all day – both to Stubbs,
who struck to open the game.
That was the high point of the game for Lincecum who allowed an
RBI single to Ryan Hanigan in the second inning, the two runs in
the third and four runs in the fifth. Lincecum now has a 7.66 ERA
in four starts since throwing 133 pitches in a shutout victory
against Oakland last month.
The Reds, who went just 2-8 on their last road trip, have
matched that total in three games in San Francisco. The pitching
has had a big part in that with Johnny Cueto and two relievers
combining on a 3-0 shutout Thursday night before Leake’s strong
start. Pat Burrell broke up the shutout with a two-run homer in the
ninth off Carlos Fisher – his first longball in 96 at-bats.
Cincinnati has gone a season-high four games without a home run,
winning two of them.
Notes: Leake leads Reds pitchers with seven hits. … Lincecum
allowed seven runs, but only three earned runs, on May 16 against
Colorado and seven earned runs to Toronto on June 13, 2007. … The
Giants signed INF Bill Hall to replace injured 2B Freddy Sanchez.
Hall entered the game in the fifth inning and walked in his first
plate appearance for San Francisco. … The Reds are the only NL
team that Lincecum has not beaten, excluding the Giants. He is 0-1
in three starts against Cincinnati.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

SAN FRANCISCO (AP)—As good as it felt to shut out the World Series
champions for eight innings, getting a pair of hits against two-time Cy Young
winner Tim Lincecum(notes) really made Mike Leake’s(notes) day.

Leake held the struggling San Francisco hitters in check and started two
rallies with his bat as the Cincinnati Reds gave Lincecum one of his worst
beatings ever in a 10-2 victory over the Giants on Saturday.

“I take pride in my hitting,” Leake said. “I don’t like to get out. It’s
more fun to get hits than it is to pitch good sometimes. … Anytime I’m
squaring balls up, it’s pretty fun.”

Brandon Phillips(notes) hit a two-run double and scored twice and Joey Votto(notes)
knocked the San Francisco ace out with an RBI double in the fifth inning to give
the Reds their second win in three games in San Francisco.

Lincecum (5-5) matched his career worst by allowing seven runs in four-plus
innings, marking the first time since his rookie year in 2007 that he had
allowed seven earned runs in a game.

“I was just kind of flying all over the place,” Lincecum said. “I didn’t
have any command of the zone at all. To me, that’s just kind of going back to
the drawing board and getting my mechanics straight.”

With the Giants struggling to generate any offense of late, that cushion
proved to be more than enough for Leake (6-2), who improved to 3-0 with a 1.93
ERA in four starts since a brief stint back in the minors.

“Mainly my head is just back on straight a little bit,” Leake said. “I
think I lost it there for a little.”

Leake allowed four hits—including an infield popup by Eli Whiteside(notes) that
third baseman Scott Rolen(notes) lost for a single—and struck out a career-high
eight. Leake had a 21.21 ERA in two previous outings against the Giants,
including giving up six runs while retiring one batter in a relief outing in his
final appearance of the season last August.

Leake also started a pair of rallies at the plate against Lincecum. Leake
doubled to lead a the two-run third inning when the Reds scored on a groundout
by Jay Bruce(notes) and a wild pitch by Lincecum to make it 3-0.

Leake then singled to start the four-run fifth. Drew Stubbs(notes) followed with a
walk and both players scored on Phillips double to left field. Votto’s RBI
double ended Lincecum’s briefest outing of the season and Rolen added a
sacrifice fly to make it 7-0.

“That was a rare outing by Lincecum,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said.
“That’s a two-time Cy Young award winner. He’s one of the best in the business.
He wasn’t as sharp today as he usually is.”

Lincecum allowed seven hits and walked four and struck out a career-low one
batter. He struggled with his control all afternoon, throwing 37 balls compared
to 36 strikes, and had two wild pitches. He generated only two swings and misses
all day—both to Stubbs, who struck to open the game.

That was the high point of the game for Lincecum who allowed an RBI single
to Ryan Hanigan(notes) in the second inning, the two runs in the third and four runs in
the fifth. Lincecum now has a 7.66 ERA in four starts since throwing 133 pitches
in a shutout victory against Oakland last month.

“More than anything his fastball command’s off,” manager Bruce Bochy said.
“It was an off day for Timmy, I don’t know how else to tell you, especially
with his command. That’s a good hitting ballclub and you’re going to pay for it
if you’re off. There’s not much else to it, really. He feels good, he’s healthy.
He’s just having trouble getting the ball where he wants.”

The Reds, who went just 2-8 on their last road trip, have matched that total
in three games in San Francisco. The pitching has had a big part in that with
Johnny Cueto(notes) and two relievers combining on a 3-0 shutout Thursday night before
Leake’s strong start. Pat Burrell(notes) broke up the shutout with a two-run homer in
the ninth off Carlos Fisher(notes)—his first longball in 96 at-bats.

Cincinnati has gone a season-high four games without a home run, winning two
of them.

Notes: Leake leads Reds pitchers with seven hits. … Lincecum allowed seven
runs, but only three earned runs, on May 16 against Colorado and seven earned
runs to Toronto on June 13, 2007. … The Giants signed INF Bill Hall(notes) to replace
injured 2B Freddy Sanchez(notes). Hall entered the game in the fifth inning and walked
in his first plate appearance for San Francisco. … The Reds are the only NL
team that Lincecum has not beaten, excluding the Giants. He is 0-1 in three
starts against Cincinnati.