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Reds try to avoid losing streak in Arizona

Apr 8, 2011 - 2:59 PM (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds take to the road after one of the most successful season-opening homestands in club history tonight, when they visit Chase Field to open a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Reds won their initial five games against Milwaukee and Houston before Matt Downs' two-out running-scoring double in the top of the ninth lifted the Astros to a 3-2 win on Thursday.

Scott Rolen had tied the game in the bottom of the seventh with a pinch-hit solo homer for the Reds, who had opened a year with five straight wins for the first time since 1990 - when they went 9-0, led the National League's West Division from wire to wire and eventually won the World Series in four games against the Oakland A's.

Starter Sam LeCure, filling in for right-hander Homer Bailey, worked five effective innings, allowing two runs on three hits with two walks and striking out six.

Lefty Travis Wood gets tonight's call for the Reds after scattering four hits and one run in seven innings of a 4-2 defeat of Milwaukee in his 2011 debut on April 2.

Wood reached the majors with an injury-plagued Cincinnati staff last season and won five times in 17 starts with a 3.51 earned run average in 102 2/3 innings.

He faced the Diamondbacks twice, splitting a pair of starts while giving up 13 hits and four runs in 11 1/3 innings with two walks and 14 strikeouts.

Wood will be opposed by Arizona's Ian Kennedy, who went 9-10 in 32 starts with the Diamondbacks in his first full year in the big leagues.

The 26-year-old was a first-round pick of the New York Yankees in 2006 and made 14 appearances in the American League between 2007 and 2009. He was sent to Arizona in December 2009 as part of a three-team trade with the Yankees and Detroit Tigers.

Kennedy, who has never faced the Reds, allowed 163 hits and struck out 168 batters in 194 innings with the Diamondbacks last season while posting a 3.80 ERA.

On Wednesday in Chicago, Arizona salvaged the finale of their three-game set, defeating the Cubs, 6-4. Miguel Montero homered while Willie Bloomquist added two hits and an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who have won just two of their first five games.

Armando Galarraga (1-0) picked up the win in his National League debut despite yielding five hits and four runs over seven-plus innings. J.J. Putz turned in a scoreless ninth for his second save.

Cincinnati won five of its seven meetings with the D'Backs last season.