By Nancy Armour
The Associated Press

CHICAGO - The wind was blowing in at Wrigley Field - which had no effect on the Chicago Cubs.

Kerry Wood hit his fifth career home run and Sammy Sosa hit his 503rd as the Cubs connected four times en route to a 16-3 rout of the Reds on Thursday.

"Everybody has been swinging the bat unbelievable and pitching has been great," said Sosa, who homered for the third time in as many days, leaving him one shy of Eddie Murray for 17th place on the career list.

"That's how you win games, when everybody contributes."

With the wind gusting in from the northeast at 14 mph, this figured to be a pitcher's duel. But the Cubs' offense played as if it was a warm, muggy day in July, knocking out 16 hits. Sosa's homer sailed all the way to Waveland Avenue, and Hee Seop Choi and Mark Grudzielanek also went deep.

Chicago scored at least 10 runs for the third straight day, the first time the Cubs have done that against the Reds since August 1894, according to team historian Ed Hartig.

Chicago won its third straight for the first time this year. Cincinnati has dropped five of six.

"They've been hot the last three days. They're not missing many pitches. It seems like everything they hit finds a hole," said Reds right-hander Jimmy Haynes, who was put on the 15-day disabled list after the game with a bulging disk in his back.

Adam Dunn hit his sixth homer of the year, tying teammate Austin Kearns for the NL lead, but that wasn't nearly enough to keep pace with the Cubs. Chicago's 16 runs were the most allowed by the Reds since a 16-7 loss to Colorado on Aug. 10, 2001.

Wood (3-0) didn't have his best stuff, giving up three runs and five hits in six innings, striking out three and walking three. Alan Benes went three innings for his first career save.

Wood cruised through the first three innings, allowing only two walks. But he got into trouble in the fourth, loading the bases with one out when he hit Ruben Mateo with a pitch.

Brandon Larson followed with a sacrifice fly, but Wood escaped without further damage when Jason LaRue flied out to center.

"I didn't stay aggressive and stay after guys," Wood said. "I started losing sight of the strike zone and got a little wild, but fortunately we got far enough ahead that they didn't hurt me too bad."

With the way the Cubs were piling runs on, Wood could afford to give up a couple. Chicago roughed up Haynes (0-4) early, scoring four runs in the first inning with two outs.

Sosa started it with a walk, and Moises Alou followed with a single to center. Choi then drew a walk to load the bases, and Corey Patterson and Mark Bellhorn hit consecutive two-run singles.

"There are such things as two-out rallies, but that was as good a two-out rally as I've seen in a long time," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said.

The Cubs chased Haynes with another big inning in the fifth. Wood homered to right-center on a 1-1 pitch, a two-run shot that drew a standing ovation and chants of "Ker-ry! Ker-ry!" from the crowd of 29,672.

"I don't know how it made it out, actually," Wood said. "I hit it pretty good but the wind was blowing in. I didn't know it was out until I hit first base and heard everybody cheering."

And the Cubs weren't done. Grudzielanek and Alex Gonzalez drew walks, and that was it for Haynes. But Josias Manzanillo didn't fare any better. His first batter was Sosa, who sent a 1-2 pitch sailing over the left-field fence and bouncing down Waveland Avenue for an 11-1 lead.

"Everybody is coming together and doing everything together," Sosa said. "It's a great feeling to play like that in April. We know we have a chance of having a great year."