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Encarnacion, Dickerson lead Reds over Giants

Aug 30, 2008 - 3:41 AM By Douglas Tifft PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Edwin Encarnacion hit a grand slam and drove in five runs and rookie Chris Dickerson added three hits and four RBI to help the Cincinnati Reds top the San Francisco Giants, 11-7, on Friday.

The Reds' offense was aided by the struggles of Giants starter Barry Zito (8-16). The 2002 American League Cy Young Award-winner, who had won his previous two outings, allowed eight runs - seven earned - on eight hits and two walks in 3 1/3 innings.

"My changeup was flat tonight," Zito said. "(The changeup) didn't have the finish. Even though the location wasn't bad, it is more of a recognizable so the hitters are able to pick it up early. At that point hitters can make an adjustment in their swing.

"When the changeup is going right they are not picking it up until the last 15 feet or so, and at that point they may have committed to the fastball."

The game marked the second time in August the Cincinnati offense, which has suffered from the departures of sluggers Ken Griffey Jr. and Adam Dunn, put up eight or more runs in a game. Starter Edinson Volquez was not as sharp as he has been throughout his All-Star campaign and benefited greatly from the support.

"There is no place like home," Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips said. "We just weren't hitting the ball (recently), but you can't do well all of the time. We were just finding the holes today."

Dickerson laced a two-run double in the fourth to give the Reds a 6-4 bulge. With the bases loaded later in the frame, Joey Votto was hit by a pitch and Encarnacion walked to cap the four-run outburst.

Volquez (16-5) surrendered six runs and eight hits in 5 1/3 innings but received more of a cushion when Dickerson belted a two-run homer in the fifth.

"I was struggling with my control a little bit. I was trying to make good pitches and keep the ball down to get a ground ball," Volquez said.

Dickerson's shot left him a triple short of the cycle, something that he did not realize until after his last opportunity to complete the feat in the seventh.

"I had zero clue. I came back in and Ryan (Hannigan) says 'I was waiting for the triple.' I thought 'single, double, home run. Oh, yeah.' I was completely oblivious to it," Dickerson said.

Encarnacion sparked a third-inning rally against Zito (8-16) with a grand slam to open the scoring, but San Francisco evened the contest with a four-run uprising in the fourth.

Jeremy Affeldt allowed one of Volquez's runners to score on a two-run home run by Rich Aurilia in the sixth, before working a scoreless seventh. David Weathers worked a scoreless eighth and Francisco Cordero followed with a scoreless ninth.