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PHILADELPHIA -- Alfredo Simon invented new pitches to baffle hitters. 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). Custom Los Angeles Angels Nike Jerseys . They probably ruined Tim Duncans hopes of a career change, though. Duncan wants to be a point guard, coach Gregg Popovich revealed Saturday, a wish that wont be granted. Wholesale Custom Baseball Jerseys . 15 in Hamburg. The fight was originally slated for Sept. 6 but had to be postponed after Klitschko tore a bicep in sparring and was forced to miss four weeks of training. https://www.custombaseballnikejerseys.co...es-nike-jerseys. - In about six minutes, the Memphis Grizzlies had allowed their 23-point lead to be cut to seven. Custom Pittsburgh Pirates Nike Jerseys .Airport spokeswoman Heather Lissner said that all departing flights were back on schedule. However, arriving flights were still trying to catch up.Super Bowl Sunday got off to an inconvenient start for hundreds of passengers trying to get to Phoenix for the game. Custom Texas Rangers Nike Jerseys . -- The Oakland Raiders expect to have starting right tackle Tony Pashos back for Sundays game against the Houston Texans.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The New England Patriots needed help on defence so they added three experienced players at midseason.Turns out theyre also solid students.Linebackers Akeem Ayers and Jonathan Casillas and defensive tackle Alan Branch dove into coach Bill Belichicks complex playbook then produced on the field.Were putting guys into play, right into the mix, Patriots cornerback Darrelle Revis said Thursday. Im sure that can be a hassle coming from another team and then a whole new playbook is in front of you, but youve got to give credit to those guys.Now they can help the Patriots (10-3) clinch the AFC East title with a win or tie against the Miami Dolphins (7-6) on Sunday.A season-ending right knee injury to defensive captain Jerod Mayo in the sixth game left the Patriots thin at linebacker. So they made two trades.Before the eighth game, they obtained Ayers and a seventh-round pick in 2015 from Tennessee for a sixth-rounder that year. Before the ninth game, they got Casillas and a sixth-round pick in 2015 from Tampa Bay for their fifth-rounder that year.Then on Oct. 29, one day after the Casillas deal, the Patriots signed Branch. He had been cut by Buffalo on Aug. 24, the day after he was arrested on a drunken-driving charge, but the main factor was performance in the decision to release him, Bills coach Doug Marrone said.All three played less than a week after joining the Patriots.Ayers, a second-round draft pick by Tennessee in 2011, started 43 of the 48 games he played in his first three seasons. But he was inactive for five of seven games with the Titans this year when they switched to a 3-4 scheme.In his first game with the Patriots, just four days after the trade, he had a sack against Jay Cutler of Chicago. In the next game, he sacked Denvers Peyton Manning. And last Sunday night, his fourth start with New England, he iintercepted a pass by Philip Rivers in a 23-14 win at San Diego.ddddddddddddJust being able to move around sometimes and just being able to do different things on defence, I really enjoy it, Ayers said.Hes getting more comfortable with the system but still has a lot to learn.I just try to narrow it down as much as I can, he said. Im pretty much learning on the go and I understand Im going to make mistakes out there and there are going to be a few things that arent perfect, but (I) just know that I can fix those mistakes and try not to make them twice.Both he and Casillas also have produced on special teams.Casillas signed with New Orleans as an undrafted free agent in 2009 and started just eight games in three seasons with the Saints. He was a backup in Tampa Bay last season before starting three of his five games with the Buccaneers this season.His approach to a different playbook is simple.Its really no secret, Casillas said. If you care what youre doing, you just have to put the extra time in. Ive been putting in a little extra time with (linebackers coach) Pat Graham and even with Akeem.Branch was a second-round pick by Arizona in 2007 and started 13 games for Buffalo last year. But he didnt attend any of the Bills voluntary spring practices this year then failed his conditioning in training camp.They definitely helped me out with the cardio program they have here (to) just make sure Im able to compete with the other guys for longer than a couple of plays at a time, he said. Im definitely appreciative of the chance theyve given me.And he, Ayers and Casillas have given back.All three of those players have definitely helped us, both with their playing time, their performance and Id say the rapid pace at which theyve picked things up, Belichick said.___AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP_NFL ' ' '