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Arroyo, Dunn lead Reds past Padres

Jul 23, 2008 - 8:42 PM By Doug Tift PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Bronson Arroyo pitched seven solid innings and Adam Dunn belted a grand slam Wednesday as the Cincinnati Reds beat the San Diego Padres, 9-4, in the rubber game of a three-game series.

Arroyo (9-7) allowed three runs on six hits while striking out seven in seven innings to earn his fifth win in as many starts. The righthander has a 3.09 ERA in 32 innings in the five starts since allowing 10 runs in only one inning of work in Toronto on June 24th.

The only blemishes on Arroyo's line were two home runs, a leadoff shot by Jody Gerut and a two-run homer by Kevin Kouzmanoff in the sixth.

Arroyo bristled when asked after the game if his recent run of success might make him more attractive to a contending team at the trade deadline.

"I'd really be disappointed if they made a trade for me," Arroyo said. "I feel like honestly if you trade me, you're going ahead and saying we're not going to build a winning team here.

"Of the four starters who have been here all year, I think all of us have a chance to pitch here for a long time, health-wise and age-wise. If you go ahead and trade me out now, you're cashing in the money for a losing team."

After San Diego reliever Joe Thatcher allowed an RBI double to Ken Griffey Jr. in the seventh, he walked Brandon Phillips intentionally to load the bases for Dunn. The burly left fielder made Thatcher pay by driving a fastball 374 feet to right field for his ninth career grand slam. The home run also tied Dunn with Ryan Howard for the major league lead with 29 home runs.

Dunn's name has also been tossed around in trade rumors as of late, but Griffey does not believe that Dunn pays the same amount of attention to the rumors that Arroyo does.

"He has been around for a while so I don't believe he cares about the rumors," Griffey said. "He has been swinging the bat well for about a month now so it is not just heating up before the deadline."

Despite another solid outing, Padres veteran righthander Greg Maddux was unable to secure his first win since May 10th. Maddux has a 4.55 ERA in 79.1 innings, stretching over 14 starts since May 10th, but no wins in that time frame.

Maddux fell victim to a sixth inning rally as Phillips helped manufacture a run when he stole second base after a one out single, advanced to third after Khalil Greene mishandled a throw in a run-down and scored on an infield single by Dunn.

Dunn would be the last batter of the afternoon for Maddux, who allowed three runs - two earned - on seven hits in 5 1/3 innings, while striking out four.

"I don't know how many synonyms there are for frustrating. I am sure that there are a few. He pitched great today," Padres manager Bud Black said of Maddux not getting the win. "Greg does the little things that enable a pitcher to get outs."

Edwin Encarnacion followed Dunn by taking the first pitch that he saw from reliever Cla Meredith (0-3) almost 370 feet to left field for his 19th home run of the season. Encarnacion has now homered in three of his last four games, and has six home runs in his last 11 games.

Reds lefthander Jeremy Affeldt allowed one unearned run in the eighth, and Todd Coffey retired only two batters and allowed one run in the ninth before giving way to closer Francisco Cordero for his 21st save of the season.