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Reds pull away to beat Diamondbacks

Apr 10, 2011 - 4:17 AM Phoenix, AZ (Sports Network) - Jonny Gomes hit a two-run double in the top of the ninth, helping the Reds pull away for a 6-1 victory over the Diamondbacks in the middle installment of a three-game series.

Cincinnati was holding on to a one-run lead before scoring four times in the ninth -- a rally made possible by two Arizona errors. Chris Heisey and Ryan Hanigan added RBI hits in the inning for the Reds, who had dropped two in a row.

Bronson Arroyo (2-0) gave up an unearned run and eight hits in a six-inning start for the Reds, and struck out six.

Daniel Hudson (0-2) was the hard-luck loser after giving up just two runs in seven innings. He allowed both runs in the first inning, and Arizona's offense never bailed him out, much like his first start.

A week ago against Colorado, Hudson gave up only three runs in six innings, but Arizona scored only one run -- in the ninth inning.

On Saturday, the right-hander allowed three hits, walked three and struck out eight for the Diamondbacks, who had won the series opener, 13-2.

Cincinnati got a run-scoring single from Scott Rolen and sacrifice fly from Jay Bruce in the first, and led the rest of the way -- though the game's outcome was far from certain.

The Diamondbacks had several chances to push runners across the plate, including in the home half of the first, when they put men in scoring position with one out. However, Arroyo fanned Russell Branyan and Chris Young to end the threat.

Then, in the fourth, Arizona had runners on the corners and one away. But Arroyo escaped the jam by retiring Melvin Mora on a pop out and Gerardo Parra on a grounder.

"He can throw a lot of strikes, so when he is down in the count, he uses the changeup, slider pretty good," Mora said. "He tries to play with your mind and see what you are thinking."

However, Arroyo couldn't get out of the situation he helped create in the sixth. After Young singled, Arroyo's errant pickoff attempt allowed Young to move to third. He later scored on Mora's base hit to center.

It was still a 2-1 game in the ninth, when Juan Gutierrez took the mound for Arizona.

He immediately got into trouble by walking Joey Votto with the heart of the Reds' lineup looming. Rolen followed by chopping a ball back to Gutierrez, who knocked it down and opted to throw to first. However, he threw the ball past Branyan, allowing the runners to move into scoring position.

Gomes then ripped a double down the third base line to make it a 4-1 game, and moved to third on a throwing error by catcher Miguel Montero. Hanigan's one- out single brought in Gomes and chased Gutierrez from the mound.

Sam Demel came in, but Paul Janish reached base ahead of Heisey's pinch-hit RBI single.

The runs created a nice cushion for Francisco Cordero, who set the Diamondbacks down in order in the bottom half.

Game Notes

The Reds were 4-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left only four on base...Bill Bray and Aroldis Chapman both tossed a scoreless inning of relief for Cincinnati...Branyan finished with two hits for Arizona...Janish finished 2-for-4, extending his hitting streak to six games.