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Angels, Reds play rubber match in Cincy

Apr 4, 2013 - 11:31 AM (Sports Network) - Workhorse right-hander Bronson Arroyo faces the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim for the seventh time in his career Thursday when the Cincinnati Reds host them in the rubber match of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

Arroyo, a Key West, Fla. native who turned 36 in February, reached double- digit wins for the seventh time in his career in 2012, going 12-10 with a 3.74 earned run average while surpassing 200 innings for the seventh time.

He won 10 and 14 games in two seasons as a starter for the Boston Red Sox and has won at least nine times in each of his seven seasons with the Reds, including a career-high 17 in 2010 and 15 in both 2008 and 2009.

Arroyo is 1-2 in six prior meetings with the Angels with a 4.72 earned run average in 34 1/3 innings. He last faced them on June 12, 2007 and emerged with a no-decision after allowing three runs on six hits in a 5-3 Reds win.

For Los Angeles, righty Joe Blanton faces Cincinnati for the first time in an Angels uniform after spending the initial nine seasons of his career with Oakland, Philadelphia and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He's 2-0 in five career starts against the Reds with a 4.26 ERA in 31 2/3 innings with a .299 opposition batting average.

Blanton won 10 games in 31 appearances while splitting 2012 with the Phillies and Dodgers and combining to allow 207 hits in 191 innings.

He was 5-9 in 14 road starts last season and 2-4 in eight day games with a 4.61 ERA.

On Wednesday, Joey Votto singled home the winning run in the bottom of the ninth inning, as the Reds topped the Angels, 5-4.

Angels reliever Scott Downs (0-1) hit Shin-Soo Choo to begin the ninth and Chris Heisey advanced the Cincinnati newcomer to second with a sacrifice bunt. Choo then raced home when Votto stroked a grounder that deflected off first baseman Albert Pujols' glove and rolled into right field.

The Angels had prevailed, 3-1, in 13 innings Monday.

Aroldis Chapman (1-0) earned the win after working around a two-out walk in the top of the ninth.

Los Angeles and the Reds have played each other in just two previous interleague series, with the Angels winning four of the six games.