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Hairston's double extends Arizona's win streak to six

Apr 11, 2007 - 6:51 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Scott Hairston sent the Arizona faithful home happy after a long night and kept the Diamondbacks' winning streak alive.

Hairston drilled a two-out, game-winning double to center field that scored Conor Jackson in the 11th inning to give the Diamondbacks their sixth straight win, a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

It was Arizona's second straight one-run decision over the Reds.

"I saw a fastball on the outer half and I told myself to concentrate," Hairston said. "I wanted to stay inside on the pitch and I was able to do that. We are winning and that has been giving us confidence. We are winning and that is a beautiful thing."

Former No. 1 pick Josh Hamilton got his first hit of the year, a two-run homer in the third that tied the game at 3-3.

Hamilton, who started in center field, battled personal problems and has made a comeback with the Reds, making the team out of spring training as a Rule 5 pick.

Brandon Phillips followed with with his second home run of the year to give the Reds a 4-3 lead.

That lead did not last long as Chris Snyder belted a solo shot that tie the game at 4-4 in the fourth inning.

In all, there were nine runs scored on five home runs. Diamondback Chad Tracy started the home run barrage in the first inning with a three-run blast.

"That was my best at-bat of the night. I laid off some nasty pitches then finally got a pitch to hit" Tracy said. "It is good to beat a team in extra innings because we play them tomorrow and you can get them down a little bit and then pound on them tomorrow."

Arizona starter Edgar Gonzalez gave up three home runs and Cincinnati's Kyle Lohse surrendered two. Gonzalez and Lohse had identical lines - each pitched seven innings and allowed four runs and six hits.

Cincinnati received five scoreless innings from four relievers before David Weathers(0-1) allowed a a two-out single to Jackson and Hairston's double.

"I just didn't execute it was the right pitch wrong location." Weathers said. "At this level you pay the price. I don't know if he (Josh Hamilton) had a chance to catch it. My ears were still ringing from the sound of the bat when he (Hairston) hit it, so I knew he hit it good."

All of Arizona's runs were scored after there were two outs in each inning, including the game winning run.

"A lot of times in extra inning games it is the situation where you get the two-out hit. Now there is a slight let down and all of a sudden the game is over," Diamondbacks manager Bob Melvin said.

"You are rolling along, get the two outs and no one expects anything to happen but one hit can really ignite you and then one ball in the gap ends up winning the game."

In a game dominated by the homer run, Arizona won the battle of the bullpens.

Cincinnati got two scoreless innings from four relievers before Weathers entered in the 10th.

Arizona received four scoreless frames from four relievers. Juan Cruz (2-0) got out of a two-on two-out jam in the 10th inning to earn his second win.

"Giving up five runs all with two outs, I thought early in the game we did a poor job executing some of our pitches especially with two outs," Reds manager Jerry Narron said. "Kyle pitched well and settle down I think Stormy (Weathers) made one bad pitch night and it went off the wall."