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		Encarnacion, Dickerson, help Reds get past Giants By Ken Gimblin August 29, 2008
	San Francisco Giants starter Barry Zito leaves the field in the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Friday, Aug. 29, 2008, in Cincinnati. Zito had just been taken out of the game by manager Bruce Bochy after Zito hit Reds' Joey Votto with a pitch. (AP Photo/Al Behrman)
	In the first game of a three game series at Great American Ball Park a team that is some 26 games out of first place in the N.L. Central came a knocking and the Cincinnati Reds put a couple of base knocks into the bleachers against the visiting San Francisco Giants in an 11-7 beat down on Friday night to open the series. Chris Dickerson led the Red Legs with a 3-5 night, a homer, a four RBIs and for Edwin Encarnacion had a 2-4 night, with a homer, two hits, and five RBIs in a romp over the Giants. The Reds scored four times in both the third and fourth innings and twice in the fifth. The Giants pitching fell apart when starter Barry Zito couldn't get the curve ball to do its thing. Zito was racked up for eight runs, seven earned, on seven hits, in 3.1 innings. For Zito it was his 16th loss (L, 8-16) ERA 5.62 the high water mark for loses in the Majors. Zito picked up the loss after winning two straight games in Atlanta and a game against the Padres. Zito said very little during the post game press conference regarding his outing, "just some weird stuff went on" Zito said. Zito the last time he faced Cincinnati was 0-6 back on April 27th. Zito hit his low point when he dropped to 0-8 before picking up his first win. Zito now leads the Majors with the worst loss record and is hoping he can improve for the rest of the season. Zito was demoted once during the season to the bull pen but was later promoted back after a week in the pen. "He was more polished, the last time he left a lot of pitches up. Today, he threw more strikes. We just hit his mistakes when he made some." said Brandon Phillips the Reds second baseman. Final Giant notes: Fred Lewis sat out most of the game with a tight right thigh. Lewis came into the ball game as pinch hitter.Rich Aurillia hit a pinch hit homer his third of the season. The Reds will call up RHP Ramon Ramirez from Triple A Louisville. Ramirez is slated to start Saturday night's game against the Giants. The Giants plan to call up RHP Brad Hennessey, RHP Vinnie Chulk, outfielder Nate Schierholtz, and RHP Jesse Foppert. Saturday's starters: For the Giants Kevin Correia (3-7) ERA 5.11 and for the Reds Ramon Ramirez (0-0) ERA 0.00. Ken Gimblin is covering the Giants-Reds series for Sportstalk this weekend.