Scott Winchester gets another ball after Ricky Guttierez homerd in the 13th inning. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        When you're playing as short-handed as the Reds are these days, and you get a chance to win a game, you'd better win it. The Reds had a big chance Monday, but blew it on a pair of defensive miscues.

        The result was a 9-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs in 13 innings before a crowd of 23,259 at Cinergy Field.

        “We battled real hard,” Reds manager Bob Boone said, “and we had it right there.”

        The game took 4 hours and 18 minutes and had a week's worth of twists and turns. The numbers give you an idea of what kind of game it was:

        • 40 players were used.

        • The teams combined to use six first basemen, a National League record.

        • 18 Reds struck out, including 10 after the eighth inning.

        • Only four of the Cubs' nine runs were earned.

        • 13 pitchers were used.

Pokey Reese takes the throw too late to get Sammy Sosa. (Steven M. Herppich photo) | ZOOM |

        “(Cubs manager) Donnie (Baylor) ran out of players, too,” Boone said. “I wanted to let the managers bat for the pitcher. That would have been a huge advantage for the Cubs, but I was willing to do it.”

        It's a wonder Boone's sense of humor is still functioning after the numbing ups and downs the Reds went through Monday.

        The Reds took a 3-0 lead in the first. The Cubs scored four — all with two outs — on starter Rob Bell in the third. The Reds retook the lead on Kelly Stinnett's two-run double in the sixth. The Cubs took a 6-5 lead in the eighth — both runs were unearned, thanks to Brandon Larson's throwing error.

        The Reds forced extra innings when Michael Tucker drove home Pokey Reese with the tying run in the bottom of ninth.

        The ninth was it for the Reds' offense. They had one hit and struck out seven times in the extra four innings.

Alex Ochoa fires a throw. (Yuli Wu photo) | ZOOM |

        The 13th started when Reese booted Joe Girardi's groundball. It was a tough hop, but Reese wouldn't use the excuse.

        “I should have caught the ball,” he said. “That's all.”

        The Cubs moved Girardi over with a sacrifice. After Augie Ojeda was hit by a pitch, Eric Young drove

        Girardi home with the go-head run.

        Ricky Gutierrez sealed things by hitting a two-run homer.

        It was the eighth straight victory for the Cubs, who are tied with the St. Louis Cardinals (29-20) for first place in the NL Central.

        The Reds have lost six of seven and 21 of 27, falling to 10 games under .500 (20-30) for the first time since Sept. 25, 1998.

        Sean Casey, one of the few regulars who has remained healthy, had to leave the game after suffering a mild back strain in the seventh inning. He's day-to-day.

        “Hopefully, I'll be back (today),” Casey said. “We don't need another injured player.”

Deion Sanders break an 0-for-19 streak with a bunt single. (Yuli Wu photo) | ZOOM |

        That's an understatement. Boone used two players at first base — Bill Selby and Jason LaRue — for the first time in their careers Monday.

        “I was petrified,” Boone said of putting them there.

        LaRue said he played enough games in college and in the minors at first that it was no problem.

        Selby, who played 17 game at first for Louisville this year, was at first when Larson threw the ball in the dirt after fielding Ron Coomer's ball. Boone did not fault Selby for failing to pick the ball out of the dirt.

        “Nobody makes that play,” Boone said. “Bran don threw a dead fish. The ball never came up.”

        Said Larson: “I made that throw nine of 10 times. I think I gave Coomer too much credit.”

        He did. Coomer was in Baylor's original lineup but scratched because of tightness in his left calf. Coomer could barely run.

        But players like Larson are feeling the heat. They are being asked to replace front-line players — in Larson's case, before he's ready.

        “It's tough,” he said. “No one wants to make errors. No one wants to strike out. We hear the fans booing us and cheering for the other team. It's hard to play in that environment.”

        There may be some players pressing. Of 18 strikeouts, 16 were swinging.

        “I didn't like the number of unprofessional at-bats we had today,” Boone said. “Those are supposed to be walks. It's tough to learn at this level. But you've either got to get better at it or you'll go away.”

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