One ace trumps another
Harang outduels Astros' Clemens
By Marc Lancaster
Post staff reporter

HOUSTON - Entering Monday's game, Reds manager Dave Miley didn't quite know what he was going to get from his starting pitcher.

The uncertainty was notable only in that the man in question was Aaron Harang, easily the Reds' most reliable pitcher this year. But the right-hander had missed his previous start with a flu-like illness, and he was returning to the mound against the most dominant pitcher in the game, Roger Clemens.

If ever Harang was due for a slip-up, this start would have been it, but the big man was his usual steady self. Harang's seven strong innings spearheaded the Reds' first shutout of the season, a 9-0 romp over the Astros at a sold-out Minute Maid Park.

Despite the obstacles facing Harang on a sticky Memorial Day afternoon, it turned out to be just another one of those starts the Reds have come to expect from their budding ace.

"I do now," said Adam Dunn. "He's a different guy than he was last year. He's got so much confidence and he's locating so good right now that he's definitely one of the best in the league right now, there's no debating that."

Harang picked up his seventh quality start this season and fourth in his last five outings by doing what he's been doing since spring training.

"One thing Aaron does is, he hits his spots and keeps the ball down," said Joe Randa. "When you consistently hit your spots and keep the ball down, when you do make a mistake, guys aren't quite ready to hit it."

The Astros produced only five hits Monday, all singles. Two were infield hits to Randa, who just missed throwing out Adam Everett in the second and Willy Taveras in the fifth. Harang walked only one batter while tying his career high with 10 strikeouts, leaving the floundering Astros unable to mount any kind of support for the sterling effort Clemens gave them before his bullpen gave up seven runs in the ninth.
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