Diamondbacks 3 - 1 Reds
Final
  for this game

Skidding Reds hope to get on track against D-Backs

Apr 20, 2011 - 2:38 PM

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(Sports Network) - Florida-born veteran Bronson Arroyo gets a chance to stop the bleeding tonight when the skidding Cincinnati Reds host the Arizona Diamondbacks in game two of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

On Tuesday, Ryan Roberts hit a pair of homers and knocked in three, as Arizona held on for a 5-4 win in the series opener.

The loss was the eighth in 12 games for the Reds since they started the season with five straight victories.

Arroyo, who had lasted six or more innings in his initial two victorious starts of 2011, was caught up in the negative momentum in his last time out while dropping a 6-1 verdict to Pittsburgh on April 15. The former Pirates draft choice allowed nine hits and five runs in four innings and saw his earned run average quickly swell from 2.08 to 4.24.

One start previous, the 34-year-old had mastered the Diamondbacks on April 9 in Phoenix, scattering eight hits and permitting one unearned run in six innings of the Reds' 6-1 triumph.

In 11 career matchups with Arizona, including nine starts, Arroyo is 4-3 with a 4.19 ERA in 62 1/3 innings, allowing 73 hits and striking out 45.

He's opposed by righty Ian Kennedy, who put up similar numbers -- eight innings, six hits, one run -- in beating the Reds, 13-2, a day before Arroyo's appearance on April 8.

It was the first career meeting with Cincinnati for Kennedy, who was the 21st overall pick in the 2006 draft by the New York Yankees before getting his first prolonged big-league exposure last season with Arizona.

Kennedy won nine of 19 decisions and had a 3.80 ERA in 194 innings for Arizona, and, in 17 innings this year, has allowed 19 hits and 13 earned runs with 13 strikeouts.

On Tuesday, Kelly Johnson and Chris Young each hit a solo shot for Arizona, which has won two in a row and split its last six games overall.

Armando Galarraga (3-0) worked six effective innings, giving up three runs on four hits with a pair of walks while striking out six. J.J. Putz locked the game down in the ninth to record his fourth save of the season.

Drew Stubbs had a solo homer and Brandon Phillips returned to the lineup after missing the last four games with a strained groin and went 2-for-4 with an RBI for the Reds.

Sam LeCure (0-1) was touched for nine hits -- including four homers -- and five runs while fanning three over 5 1/3 innings to take the loss.

The D-Backs took two of three from the Reds when the clubs met in Arizona on April 8-10.






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