Larkin’s Double Defeats Cubs, 3-2

Rod Beck pitched Barry Larkin exactly how he wanted, but the Chicago Cubs still ended up with another wrenching loss.

Larkin doubled just inside third base with two out in the bottom of the ninth Friday night, giving the Cincinnati Reds a 3-2 victory in a game that was nothing but frustration for the Reds until the last swing.

Kevin Tapani stopped the Cubs’ record-setting streak of bad pitching with a scoreless first inning and forced the major leagues’ weakest offense to strand a season-high 11 runners through eight innings.

Tapani gave up one run in eight innings and handed a 2-1 lead over to Beck (2-3), who blew a save for the third time in nine chances when Larkin pulled a sinker down the line.

“I don’t know what to tell you,” a stunned Beck said. “It was not even a strike.”

After Michael Tucker singled and Sean Casey hit a ground-rule double with two out, the Cubs decided to throw two pitches out of the strike zone to Larkin, who entered the game hitting .202.

If Larkin went after the two bad pitches, Beck would keep pitching to him. If not, Beck would intentionally walk Larkin, bringing up Eddie Taubensee. Larkin pulled the second pitch just inside the baseline.

Tapani’s scoreless first inning ended a streak of 13 consecutive innings giving up a run, a National League record.

Tapani gave up 10 hits--including nine singles--and got Dmitri Young to ground out with the bases loaded, ending a threat in the eighth.

Beck had converted his previous four save chances after blowing consecutive chances in Milwaukee on April 17-18. His earned run average rose to 9.00.

AROUND THE LEAGUE / Osborne Put on DL Again

Donovan Osborne certainly is consistent.

The St. Louis Cardinal pitcher was put on the disabled list Friday for the seventh time in seven major league seasons.

Osborne, 29, left Thursday night’s game against Pittsburgh because of an injured shoulder after giving up four runs in four innings.

Osborne, 1-3 with a 5.52 earned-run average in six starts, is in the final season of a $12.75-million, three-year contract. He’s missed much of the first two seasons because of a hernia, two groin injuries and a shoulder injury.

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The New York Mets said they intended to put Rickey Henderson, bothered by a sprained right knee, on the disabled list after Friday night’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 40-year-old outfielder hasn’t played since Sunday. . . .The San Francisco Giants put right-handed reliever Julian Tavarez on the 15-day disabled list because of pneumonia and recalled infielder Wilson Delgado from Fresno of the Pacific Coast League.

The Chicago Cubs activated pitchers Jon Lieber and Terry Adams from the disabled list. The Cubs opened roster spots by optioning reliever Richard Barker to Triple-A Iowa and assigning the contract of reliever Brad Woodall outright to Iowa. . . . San Diego Padre third baseman George Arias was activated from the 15-day disabled list. Left-handed reliever Roberto Rivera was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.

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Just 11 weeks after quintuple bypass surgery, National League umpire Wally Bell returned to work when the Atlanta Braves played at San Diego.