By JOE KAY

CINCINNATI – Adam Dunn still looks more like the Bambino than Ichiro.

Trying to merely put the ball in play, Dunn homered in his first two at-bats on Monday, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-1, opening-day victory over the Chicago Cubs.

While Dunn quickly got away from trying to make contact like Seattle’s slap-hitting Ichiro Suzuki, right-hander Aaron Harang had his way with a Cubs lineup that got an offseason infusion of cash and power in the offseason, allowing only one unearned run in seven innings.

It was a glum day all around for the Cubs, who spent more than $300 million on players in the offseason and brought in Lou Piniella to manage a retooled team that had finished last in the NL Central.

Alfonso Soriano, who got an eight-year, $136 million deal, had an infield single in four at-bats. Chicago’s only run was unearned, courtesy of Ryan Freel’s throwing error in center field.

A few hours before the game, the Cubs were surprised by news that Tribune Co. plans to sell the team at the end of the season. Piniella held a team meeting and told his players not to let it distract them.

Instead, they were staggered by a power hitter determined to cut down on his strikeouts and a starting pitcher determined to make good on his second chance.

Dunn’s stunning strikeout totals – he has led the NL each of the last three seasons, fanning nearly 200 times a year – have become a focal point. He joked during spring training that he was going to remind everyone of Suzuki this year.

No resemblance whatsoever.

Dunn hit a two-run homer in the first inning off loser Carlos Zambrano, a line drive into the seats in right field. The next time up, Dunn hit the first pitch deep into the seats in right-center.

It was his second two-homer game on opening day – he also did it against the Mets in 2005 – and gave him a club-record five homers in opening games.

At that point, it was up to Harang, who wasn’t about to let the Cubs put up another sweet 16. In each of their last two season openers, the Cubs had piled up 16 runs. Last year, Harang had a big hand in it.

His pregame warmup was interrupted by President Bush’s visit to the clubhouse a year ago, and he didn’t feel right from the outset. Harang gave up five runs in the first inning of Chicago’s 16-7 win, the most runs a Cincinnati team gave up on opening day since 1877.

Eager to show that last year’s opener was a historic fluke, Harang took control from the first pitch – a fastball to Soriano for a called strike. He pitched out of the Cubs’ biggest threat, retiring Cesar Izturis on a popup with the bases loaded in the fourth.

Harang gave up six hits and struck out five in seven innings, the longest any Reds starter has gone on opening day since Jose Rijo pitched eight in 1993.

By contrast, Zambrano had another first-game meltdown. Zambrano started those last two 16-run openers, but failed to go five innings in either one. He gave up five runs in five innings on Monday.

Zambrano is eligible to become a free agent after the World Series and had said he wouldn’t negotiate beyond opening day. On Sunday, his agent extended the deadline indefinitely, a sign the sides are nearing agreement on a five-year deal that would be worth about $80 million.