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Late hit by Hopper lifts Reds

Jul 8, 2007 - 3:45 AM CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- It was not easy, but the Cincinnati Reds extended their modest winning streak.

Norris Hopper's two-out RBI single in the eighth inning was the difference as the Reds earned a 5-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.

Adam Dunn and Scott Hatteberg each drove in a run and Edwin Encarnacion hit his sixth homer of the season for the Reds, who have won three in a row for the first time since May 28-30. The team can stretch its winning streak to a season-high four games with a triumph Sunday.

"We won the game, and that's all that matters," said Reds interim manager Pete Mackanin, who is now 4-1 since taking over after Jerry Narron was fired on Sunday.

The Reds owned a 4-1 lead entering the eighth inning, but reliever Todd Coffey quickly squandered the advantage.

After back-to-back singles by Augie Ojeda and Miguel Montero opened the frame, Eric Byrnes drilled his 14th home run of the season over the center field wall to knot the contest.

The Reds responded in their next at-bat.

With one out, reliever Tony Pena (3-2) entered the game and promptly allowed a bunt single by Brandon Phillips, who advanced to second by tagging up on a flyout by Dunn.

"That was the biggest play of the game, as far as I'm concerned," Mackanin said.

After an intentional walk to Hatteberg, Hopper plated Phillips with a clutch single to center. Hopper had entered the game in the eighth inning to replace Ryan Freel, who was ejected by umpire Chad Fairchild for arguing a close call at first base.

Freel had moved from third base to center field earlier in the game after starting center fielder Josh Hamilton left the game in the third with a sprained right wrist.

"We lost both center fielders," Mackanin said. "Josh informed me that he couldn't swing the bat. Freel got ejected, and that didn't make me happy. I didn't yell at him. I'm mad at him, but I'll get over it."

Hamilton, who appeared to sustain the injury during his first at-bat, will have the wrist placed in a cast and be examined Thursday.

Jon Coutlangus (4-1) got the win after coming on for Coffey in the eighth and recording three outs.

David Weathers worked out of a ninth-inning jam for his 17th save of the season. With runners on first and second with one out, Weathers struck out Tony Clark and Montero to end the game.

"I had my back against the wall," Weathers said. "But I got into a good count with Clark and had some emotion getting Montero."

Reds starter Homer Bailey allowed one run, two hits and two walks while striking out five. The 21-year-old righthander departed after throwing 87 pitches in five innings.

The performance distanced Bailey from his previous two starts in which he allowed 13 runs over just 5 1/3 innings.

"He was working on some mechanics, but I wanted to get him out of there on a positive note," Mackanin said. "You want to win, sure, but it was in his best interest and the best interest of the team for him to go on the break with success."

Bailey did not want to come out but understood the reasoning.

"I've been working on staying on my back foot longer," he said. "It gives me better control over the breaking ball. I worked on it six days in a row, and I'll work on it every day until it becomes second nature. I was surprised I was coming out, but I had five good innings. It was big to come out with a lead."

Arizona starter Brandon Webb allowed four runs, five hits and two walks while striking out eight in seven innings. Earlier in the day, Webb was named to the National League All-Star squad as a replacement for injured Colorado Rockies reliever Brian Fuentes.

"I made one mistake," Webb said. "But it was an average outing at best. I walked two guys and they ended up scoring."