Big Red Machine Does It Again

(AP) 
Greg Vaughn reignited Cincinnati's power machine Tuesday night, hitting three of his team's six homers as the Reds routed the Chicago Cubs 10-3 to gain a doubleheader split.

Aaron Boone hit two homers and Mike Cameron connected once for the Reds, who dropped three games behind Houston in the NL Central. Cincinnati began the day four games behind New York in the wild-card race.

Chicago won the opener 2-1 as 16-game loser Steve Trachsel allowed just four hits in eight innings, winning consecutive decisions for the first time this season.

Related Links

Game Summary

Baseball features:

MLB's Honor Roll

Who's Sizzlin' and Fizzlin'

Sammy Sosa didn't homer during the doubleheader and remains at 58 with 24 games to go. He had two singles in the second game and was 2-for-8 in the doubleheader with four strikeouts.

The Reds, who hit a major league record 14 homers over a two-game span Saturday and Sunday in Philadelphia, were held homerless in the opener. But that changed quickly in the second game.

Cameron, playing in his first game since Aug. 27 because of a hamstring problem, got the home-run machine going in the second by hitting his 18th.

Cameron, Vaughn and Boone had two-run shots off Brian McNichol, who lost in his major league debut. Vaughn and Boone then went back-to-back off Scott Sanders in the sixth. Vaughn hit a long solo shot in the eighth off Rodney Myers for the first three-homer game of his career.

Vaughn drove in five runs and has 34 homers.

Brett Tomko (5-7) allowed six hits and a run in six innins for his first victory since Aug. 1. He was struck by a Henry Rodriguez liner in the sixth but finished the inning.

Mickey Morandini hit a two-run homer for the Cubs, a seventh-inning drive off Stan Belinda.

Trachsel (6-16) had pitched seven scoreless innings in his previous start against San Diego.

"They never lost confidence in me. The coaches told me I'd snap out of it, the catchers told me my stuff was good and I had confidence in myself," said Trachsel, who won 15 games last year.

"But no matter if I win the rest of my starts, I won't be happy with the two months I pitched poorly. The losses are losses. I just want to finish strong and see what happens."

Trachsel said he doesn't know if he'll be back with the Cubs and didn't worry about being traded during one stretch this season when he lost eight of nine starts.

"I never thought about it. I was more concerned about getting myself straightened out. My future will take care of itself in the offseason one way or the other," he said.

Trachsel, who got in the history books last season by surrendering Mark McGwire's 62nd homer run, said he hasn't worried about the 20-loss syndrome, either. The last man to lose 20 games was Brian Kingman of the Oakland Athletics in 1980.

"It's not something I'm thinking about. Sixteen is a number. I'm just worrying about throwing the ball well," he said.

Trachsel struck out five, walked one and retired 16 straight at one point.

After giving up a leadoff double in the third to Aaron Boone, Trachsel set the Reds down until Eddie Taubensee hit a one-out single in the eighth. He then walked Jeffrey Hammonds, and pinch-hitter Mark Sweeney hit an RBI single. Trachsel then fanned Pokey Reese.

"That's the best he's pitched against us in a long time," Reds manager Jack McKeon said of Trachsel.

The Cubs broke a scoreless tie with two runs off Ron Villone (7-6) in the fifth. Glenallen Hill walked, Gary Gaetti doubled and Jose Nieves hit a bloop RBI single to center. Gaetti scored on Jose Molina's grounder to second.

Notes

Tomko was making his first start since Au. 23. His previous two appearances were out of the bullpen.

Vaughn's three-homer output was the second by a Reds player this season. Jeffrey Hammonds hit three against Colorado on May 19. Earlier this season, Vaughn hit two in one game against the Cubs at Cinergy Field. Boone's two-homer game was the first of his career.

The Reds now have 21 homers in their last five games.

The Reds announced a five-year working agreement with the Triple-A Louisville RiverBats of the International League. The Reds had been affiliated with Indianapolis since 1993.

McNichol was the 25th pitcher used the Cubs this season including third baseman Gary Gaetti which is a club record. He was the 10th left-hander to appear for the Cubs this season, another club mark.

Dmitri Young was called out on strikes in the ninth of the first game and was ejected by plate umpire Dan Iassogna for arguing.

©1999 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed