Blue Jays 1 - 2 Reds
Final
  for this game

Reds try to salvage set with Blue Jays

Jun 19, 2011 - 2:55 PM

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(Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds hope to avoid a three-game home sweep at the hands of the Toronto Blue Jays today in interleague play.

While he is no Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio, Toronto hurler Carlos Villanueva has an impressive streak of his own. The converted reliever hasn't lost a decision since August 17, 2009, a span of 84 outings. Villanueva, who will get the ball today and is 8-0 since his last defeat, is 4-0 this season with a 3.25 ERA and is coming off a no-decision against Baltimore on Tuesday. In that game, he scattered three earned runs on seven hits in six innings.

Villanueva is 2-1 lifetime against Cincinnati with a 4.22 ERA.

Bronson Arroyo has been disappointing to date for the Reds, as he is 5-6 overall with a 5.23 ERA. Arroyo did beat the Dodgers last time out despite allowing four earned runs in 7 2/3 innings. He has gone two straight outings without permitting a home run, a significant streak for a pitcher often crippled by the long ball.

Arroyo hasn't found much success against Toronto in his career, posting a 2-5 mark with a 6.38 ERA.

On Saturday, Brandon Morrow tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings to lead the Blue Jays to a 4-0 win over the Reds in the middle installment at Great American Ball Park.

Jose Molina recorded a solo home run and a double, while Rajai Davis added a triple for the Jays, who have won four of their last five games.

Morrow (3-4) yielded only five hits, fanned six and walked one.

Jay Bruce and Scott Rolen had two hits apiece for the Reds, who have lost two in a row after sweeping their previous series.

Edinson Volquez (4-3) went five innings in defeat for Cincinnati, giving up four runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out eight.

The Blue Jays are just a game above the .500 mark, good for fourth place in the loaded AL East.

As for Cincinnati, it sits in third place in the crowded NL Central at three games behind Milwaukee's pace. St. Louis is a game off the lead.

Toronto has won eight of its 11 all-time bouts with the Reds and took two of three games from Cincinnati when the teams last met at the Rogers Centre in 2009. The Blue Jays' only previous trip to Cincinnati came in 2003, with the Reds winning twice in a three-game set.






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