PHILADELPHIA -- Alfredo Simon invented new pitches to baffle hitters. Manchester United Jersey . Simon allowed five hits over 7 2-3 strong innings, Devin Mesoraco hit a three-run homer and the Cincinnati Reds beat the struggling Philadelphia Phillies 3-0 on Friday night. Simon (5-2) had a season-high eight strikeouts, walked one and hit one batter. Manny Parra got one out in the eighth and Aroldis Chapman struck out pinch-hitter Cesar Hernandez on a 102 mph fastball with runners on second and third for his second save in two tries. Simon mixed a strong fastball with a slider and assorted off-speed pitches to keep the Phillies off-balance. "I was trying to have fun out there," Simon said. A couple of pitches were clocked in the low 70s. "I dont know what he was throwing half the time," Mesoraco said. "I was just catching it and throwing it back." The Phillies havent scored a run in the last 20 innings and were shut out for the fifth time this season. They have lost four straight and eight of 10 to fall a season-worst five games under .500 at 17-22. Kyle Kendrick (0-4) lost his ninth straight decision, dating to last Aug. 11. He allowed three runs and four hits in seven innings. Kendrick hasnt had much help from the offence, however. The Phillies have been shut out five times in those 15 starts and have scored one run or less eight times. "Main thing is I want the team to win," Kendrick said. "Just have to go out there, take care of my job and give my team a chance to win." The Reds didnt have slugger Joey Votto because of a left distal quadriceps strain. The 2010 NL MVP remained in Cincinnati. With Jay Bruce on the disabled list, it was the first time the Reds didnt have Votto and Bruce in their lineup since Sept. 20, 2012, at the Cubs. Mesoraco provided all the support they would need. He ripped a three-run shot in his first at-bat since returning from his second trip to the disabled list. "It was terrific. His first at-bat and he gave us an early cushion," Reds manager Bryan Price said. Mesoraco was sidelined by a left hamstring injury. He arrived to the ballpark less than three hours before the first pitch after making the trip from Norfolk where he played three games for Triple-A Louisville. "I was supposed to leave early this morning and didnt leave until about 3," he said. "I was starting to panic. I didnt feel that good. My legs were tired. Things cleared up after the first swing." A reshuffled lineup didnt solve Philadelphias hitting woes. Leadoff hitter Ben Revere was out with a stomach virus, so Jimmy Rollins batted first for the first time in 70 games. Carlos Ruiz moved up to bat second and John Mayberry Jr. took Reveres spot in centre field. The Phillies squandered a few chances in the early innings. They had runners on first and third with two outs in the first, but Simon struck out Marlon Byrd to end the inning. They had runners on the corners again with one out in the third, but Simon fanned Chase Utley and Ryan Howard. Simon struck out Ruiz to leave another runner on third in the fifth. NOTES: Votto had been the only Red to appear in the first 39 games. ... Reds cleanup hitter Todd Frazier was 0 for 4, ending his career-best 14-game hitting streak. .. Phillies manager Ryne Sandberg has used 22 different lineups in 39 games. ... Matt Beech was the last Phillies pitcher to have a losing streak of at least nine games. He lost 11 in a row between Aug. 13, 1996 and Aug. 2, 1997. ... Cole Hamels (0-2, 5.32) of the Phillies tries again for his 100th career win Saturday night vs. Homer Bailey (3-2, 4.72). Tom Lawrence Manchester United Jersey . Same for his dazzling puck-handling skills and the vision that sees the plays before they happen. Michael Carrick Manchester United Jersey . The Anaheim Ducks left-winger got his revenge in the shootout. Ryan scored the only goal in the shootout, lifting the Anaheim Ducks to a 2-1 victory over the New York Rangers in the teams matchup in Europe on Saturday.MANCHESTER, England -- Juan Mata is on the brink of becoming the most expensive player in Manchester Uniteds history after the Premier League champions announced Friday they have reached an agreement with Chelsea over the transfer of the Spain midfielder. United released a statement saying Mata will move for a club-record fee "subject to a medical and the agreement of personal terms." Although United didnt give any further details, the club this week made a bid of 37 million pounds ($61 million) for Mata, which would eclipse the 30.7 million pounds that United paid to sign striker Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham in 2008. Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said Mata had requested to leave Stamford Bridge after losing his place in the London clubs starting lineup. "I asked him (Mata), Are you really happy to go?" Mourinho said. "He said, Yes, Im really happy to go. "We hope he does well," Mourinho added in a news conference. "We are convinced he is going to do well. If Man United pays their record for a player, its because they know exactly what they want from him. And they know exactly what he can give them." The 25-year-old Mata was Chelseas player of the year for the last two seasons but has been marginalized at the London club this campaign following the return of Mourinho as manager. He has largely been on the bench, with Mourinho preferring Eden Hazard, Willian and Oscar as his playmakers. "If he cannot be fully happy here because he is not playing 100 per cent like he was the last two years, if he has a big club that wants him -- even if its a rival club and in England -- the club decided, and I was on the clubs side for this feeling, that you cannot stop people to be happy," Mourinho said. United refused to negotiate with Chelsea in the off-season when Mourinho lodged two bids for Wayne Rooney, who was pushing for a transfer afteer losing his regular place in Uniteds team. Jonny Evans Manchester United Jersey. Mourinho said that hadnt been a factor in dealing with Mata. "Would Chelsea supporters be happy if we stop a fantastic person, that they all like, from being happy, if we say you only can go to Russia, China, to France or to Portugal, not England?" Mourinho asked. "To say now, You cannot go, Juan, to United because United refused in the summer to sell us Wayne Rooney, I dont think its fair to Juan. So if they decide not to sell (Rooney, its) their decision." United will hope the arrival of Mata, who is likely to be in Spains squad for the World Cup in Brazil, proves to be a turning point in its so-far lacklustre season under new manager David Moyes. The team is languishing in seventh place in the Premier League -- 14 points behind leader Arsenal -- and facing a fight to secure one of the four Champions League places. United exited the FA Cup at the first hurdle and the League Cup in the semifinals. The bright spot is still remaining in Champions League title contention going into the round of 16 against Olympiakos next month. Chelsea, meanwhile, has already found a replacement for Mata in Mohamed Salah after striking a deal with Swiss team Basel for the pacey Egypt winger. Salah still needs to agree personal terms and pass a medical with Chelsea. Mourinho laughed off criticism by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, who said Thursday that Chelsea had timed the sale of Mata specifically to hurt its Premier League rivals. United has already played Chelsea twice -- most recently on Sunday -- but still has to play Manchester City and Wengers Arsenal in the run-in. "Wenger complaining is normal, because he always does. Its something that we know," Mourinho said. "We dont do the market, we dont do the rules." Two points separate Arsenal with third-place Chelsea with 16 games left. ' ' '
