Joey Hamilton watches Matt Stairs' HR. (Ernest Coleman photos) | ZOOM |

        After it was over, Joey Hamilton wanted only one pitch back.

        “The 3-2 pitch to Rondell (White) was the turning point in the game,” Hamilton said.

        When you lose 10-0, as the Reds did Wednesday night to the Chicago Cubs, there usually isn't a turning point.

        So had the slider Hamilton threw to White stayed down and had White swung through it, the Reds probably still would have lost. But Hamilton would have had a decent shot at a quality start.

        Instead, the slider stayed up, and White hit it out for a two-run homer. Two batters later, Hamilton was gone.

        His line — three innings, five runs, four hits, two walks, two strikeouts — doesn't look good. But he didn't feel bad about the way he pitched.

        “I felt wonderful,” he said. “I had no problems with my arm.”

Jason LaRue reacts after umpire Marvin Hudson called Eric Young safe on a close play at the plate. | ZOOM |

        Reds manager Bob Boone was encouraged enough to say Hamilton will get another start.

        “He made some decent pitches,” Boone said. “But he looked like he hadn't been out there in a while.”

        Hamilton, a 31-year-old reclamation project, hadn't been.

        He had not started a major-league game since July 29 when he was with Toronto. He was 5-8 with 5.89 ERA with the Blue Jays before they released him Aug.3. The Reds picked him up two weeks later and began rehabilitating him. He made two successful starts at Triple-A, but the last one was 12 days ago.

        The way Hamilton pitches the rest of the season probably will determine if he lands a major-league job in the spring.

        “I guess I should have a sense of urgency because I didn't throw well in Toronto or tonight,” Hamilton said. “But I think if I throw well, things will take care of themselves.”

        Wednesday night, Hamilton could have been very good and still lost.

Kerry Wood pitched seven shutout innings. | ZOOM |

        Kerry Wood, the Cubs' 24-year-old fireballer, was on. He pitched seven innings and allowed only two singles and only one runner to advance to second base. Wood (11-6) struck out nine and walked one.

        He was making only his second start since spending a month on disabled list with tendinitis in his right shoulder.

        The Reds dropped to 3-10 on the year against the Cubs.

        Hamilton started Wednesday's game by walking Eric Young and Michael Tucker. Back-to-back groundouts got Young in with the first run.

        “I was nervous as hell in the first inning,” Hamilton said. “But anytime I walk the first two and get out of it with only one run, I'm happy.”

        Hamilton didn't allow a hit until Young led off the third with a single. Young scored all the way from first on Sammy Sosa's single to left. Then came the pitch to White, who hit it out to left-center for his 14th home run this season. It came on a full count; White was the third straight batter Hamilton went 3-2 on.

        Matt Stairs didn't worry about working the count. He hit the first pitch from Hamilton into the right-field green seats for his 16th home run of the year to make it 5-0.

        It was only the second time the Cubs have gone back to back this year. It was the 10th time Reds pitchers have allowed back-to-back home runs.

        Scott MacRae came in relief. He gave up a two-run triple to Tucker to make it 7-0. Tucker hit another two-run triple in the sixth, off Hector Mercado to make it 9-0.

        The Reds' fifth pitcher of the night was Jared Fernandez, a 29-year-old rookie knuckleballer. The significance? Fernandez was making his major-league debut after eight seasons in the minors. He was the 11th player to make his major-league debut this season for the Reds.

        He pitched two hitless innings.

        “It's been a long trek,” Fernandez said. “I'm just glad to get the opportunity.”

        He may get more.

        “He really had it working,” Boone said. “It was real encouraging.”

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