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Owings haunts Diamondbacks, caps Reds rally

Sep 14, 2008 - 5:17 AM PHOENIX (Ticker) -- Micah Owings made an immediate impact with his new team, and dealt his former club's playoff chances a crushing blow.

Pinch-hitting in the top of the 10th, Owings hit an RBI double as the Cincinnati Reds rallied past the Arizona Diamondbacks, 3-2, on Saturday.

With the score tied at 2-2, rookie Chris Dickerson walked with two outs and Reds manager Dusty Baker called upon Owings, who was sent from Arizona to Cincinnati one day earlier to complete a previous trade involving Adam Dunn.

"I was just grateful for the opportunity to get in there, grateful for the opportunity and for the fans to show the respect they did for me and how I did for them while I was here, it meant a lot," Owings said. "It was running through my head and I was trying to get in the box to do what I could. I still haven't comprehended it."

The pitcher delivered for Baker, lining a 1-1 offering from Tony Pena (1-2) down the left field line to plate Dickerson all the way from first base.

"I tried to throw it inside and it got away from me," Pena said. "He swung at it and got a hit. It was unbelievable."

Reds closer Francisco Cordero pitched a 1-2-3 inning in the 10th to pick up his 30th save and drop Arizona (72-75) a season-high 4 1/2 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers (77-71) in the National League West. It was the Diamondbacks' 14th loss in their last 18 games.

"Just like we did going into yesterdays game, we just have to try and focus on today, try to win one game and not get caught up in how many games we need to win or whatever, just need to go out there and play for tomorrow and do the best we can on that particular day," Arizona manager Bob Melvin said.

Cincinnati tied the contest in the ninth against Pena as Danny Richar and Javier Valentin opened the frame with back-to-back singles to put runners on the corners. Corey Patterson hit a fly ball to right and Richar bluffed coming home, but right fielder Justin Upton's throw squirted away from catcher Miguel Montero and Richar raced in to even the game at 2-2.

The game was tied at 1-1 until the seventh when Baker left in starter Edinson Volquez despite the fact that the righthander was at 110 pitches through six innings. The young righthander allowed the first two batters to reach before he was pulled after throwing a career-high 121 pitches.

"He did have a high pitch count, he will be kind of on a short leash, we were trying to get him threw that inning and give him another chance to win the game," Baker said. "It was late in the year and he's still throwing 94, 95 (miles per hour), and sometimes you have to try give a young man a chance to (win)."

The Diamondbacks would take advantage in the frame as Dunn was hit by a pitch from rookie Josh Roenicke with the bases loaded to give Arizona a 2-1 lead.

Volquez allowed two runs and five hits over six-plus innings, tying a career high with six walks while striking out eight.

Augie Ojeda had an RBI groundout in the fifth inning for Arizona, which has scored four runs or less in 10 straight games.