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(Phoenix, AZ) -- Cincinnati (16-16) thought they had righted the ship on May 10th at home against St. Louis, winning 2-1 after dropping the first two games handily. Many miles away in Phoenix over the next 72 hours, the Reds found out the ship was still taking on water as the Reds dropped 2 of 3 games to the Arizona Diamondbacks (20-12).
Game 1
Cincy turned to Bronson Arroyo (0-3, 5.29 ERA) to continue the winning ways for the Reds in Game 1 against the then 20-12 D'Backs. Arroyo hasn't been doing much winning himself, as evident by his winless record and inflated earned runs average. Meanwhile, the hosts went with Max Scherzer (2-2, 4.19 ERA).
Arroyo was haunted by the long ball in a 4-1 defeat, as Arizona 1st basemen Chad Tracy went 3 for 4 with a homer and 2 RBI's and catcher Chris Snyder hit 1 for 2 with the lone hit being a homerun. Those two runs alone were enough to down the visiting Reds, as only catcher Ramon Hernandez came through with a run scoring single. Arroyo lasted just 5 innings, giving up 2 runs on 7 hits and walking two batters while taking the loss. Meanwhile, Scherzer was mostly magnificent, picking up his 3rd win by going 7 strong innings while giving up just one run on 5 hits with 5 strikeouts. Chad Qualls finished up the game by earning his 9th save of the season.
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Reds | 1 |  |
Diamondbacks | 4 |
Game 2
Okay, so Arroyo may not have been the best choice to help the Reds get on a roll. So in accordance with the rotation, Johnny Cueto, he of the 3-0 record and 2.36 ERA, was called upon to bring the Reds back to an even record in Game 2. Arizona countered with former White Sox pitcher Jon Garland (1-1, 5.97 ERA).
Cueto turned in a quality pitching performance, throwing 6 innings while giving up just a run on 6 hits. He had some control issues, walking 3 Arizona hitters but also struck out 5. He was certainly helped by the Reds offense, which banged out 11 hits but managed to only score twice in a 2-1 win. Paul Janish, filling in at shortstop for a fatigued Alex Gonzalez, went 2 for 3 with a walk, Edwin Encarnacion collected 2 hits in 4 at bats with an RBI, and Hernandez doubled in the go ahead run in the top of the 9th to close out a 2 for 4 day himself.
For Arizona, Garland pitched well with a line of 6 innings, 1 run on 7 hits allowed with a walk and 6 K's. But the only notable batter for the Diamondbacks was right fielder Justin Upton, who went 2 for 4 with an RBI.
In the end, neither starter got a decision. Reliever Mike Lincoln (1-0) took the win for Cincinnati, pitching two scoreless, hitless innings for the Reds. Doug Slaten (3-2) was the loser, giving up 2 hits and a run in 1 ful inning. Francisco Cordero took home the save, his 6th of the year.
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Reds | 2 | |
Diamondbacks | 1 |
Game 3
In the rubber match, Cincinnati went with Micah Owings while Arizona threw Doug Davis. But again, it was up to the Reds offense to come through, and they did not, mustering just one run for the second time this series. Owings did what he could, going 6 innings while allowing 4 runs on 7 hits -- an expected line from your 5th starter. Davis, on the other hand, went above and beyond, tossing 7.2 innings while giving up just a run on 7 hits. He also struck out 5 Reds batters.
Offensively, only Joey Votto brought any semblance of his 'A' game, reaching base twice in four tries with an RBI in the 8th inning, Cincinnati's only run of the ballgame. For the D'Backs, former Red Felipe Lopez went 2 for 4 with 2 RBI's out of the leadoff spot, while shortstop Stephen Drew and 1st basemen Chad Tracy posted identical lines of 2 for 4 with a homer, the 6th of the season for both of them. Tony Pena collected his 2nd save of the season, pitching an inning and a third.
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Reds | 1 | |
Diamondbacks | 5 |
Thankfully, the Reds (17-18) get a day off to recharge after a disappointing series, then it's off to San Diego for a 3 game series against the Padres (15-19). Expected starters are Aaron Harang (1-6, 7.65 ERA) for Cincinnati and Chris Young (2-2, 2.12 ERA) for the homestanding Padres.
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