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Arroyo hoping to avoid another poor outing vs. Braves

Apr 25, 2009 - 5:27 AM By Brett Huston Stats Writer

Atlanta (8-8) at Cincinnati (9-7) 1:10 p.m. EDT

CINCINNATI (AP) -- Bronson Arroyo has been far from unhittable in three starts for the Cincinnati Reds, but he's walked away with three wins. He wasn't nearly as fortunate in his last start against the Atlanta Braves.

Arroyo had one of the worst outings of his career in his lone appearance versus the Braves in 2008, a performance he'll look to avenge Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park when Cincinnati and Atlanta continue their three-game series.

Arroyo (3-0, 4.19 ERA) won a career-high 15 games last season but he also endured the two shortest outings of his career.

He didn't make it out of the second inning in either, the first being a 14-7 loss to the Braves on May 4, when Arroyo gave up seven runs on seven hits in 1 1/3 innings. Three of those came on a homer from Chipper Jones, who is 9-for-20 (.450) with two homers and six RBI against Arroyo.

"No excuses, they just beat my butt," Arroyo told the Reds' official Web site. "They hit it on the screws."

Arroyo's 15 wins with the Reds in 2008 came despite opponents hitting .281 against him. Only Colorado's Aaron Cook won as many games with a higher opponents' batting average.

That average is at .296 through three starts this season, but Arroyo's limited the damage and generally received solid run support from an offense led by hot-hitting Joey Votto (.375, 16 RBI). He gave up nine hits in seven innings Monday at Houston, but allowed just three runs as the Reds won 4-3.

"I can't complain, man," said Arroyo, who struck out six without a walk. "I haven't even felt lights-out, but I've been getting enough outs, a lot of double-play balls and getting runners on a lot and just squeezing out of innings."

Another Cincinnati starter held Atlanta's bats almost entirely in check Friday, but Edinson Volquez's lack of command cost the Reds a chance to win. Volquez gave up just one hit in five innings - a homer to Jeff Francoeur - but walked seven and left having allowed three runs as the Braves won 4-3.

"We did a good job of not swinging at bad pitches tonight," manager Bobby Cox said. "Volquez has no-hit stuff. It's tough to lay off his pitches, and we laid off some pitches."

Atlanta's had to work hard to score runs most of the season. Aside from putting up 11 in a win at Pittsburgh, the Braves have scored 17 runs in their other nine games since April 14.

Injuries have played a big part in those offensive struggles, as Yunel Escobar, Chipper Jones, and Brian McCann have all missed time, and on Friday Garrett Anderson landed on the disabled list with a strained quad.

McCann may soon join him, as he may have to undergo a second Lasik surgery to repair the blurred vision in his right eye, leaving former Red David Ross as Atlanta's catcher.

With that lack of offense, the Braves need to rely on solid starting pitching, something Derek Lowe (1-1, 3.27) has generally provided in his first four starts in Atlanta.

His last time out, though, Lowe suffered his first loss - 3-2 at Washington on Monday - after he allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings.

"(Lowe) kept us right there at three runs," Cox said. "We've got to be able to score that many once in a while."

Lowe's last start at Cincinnati came June 18 with the Dodgers. He squared off with Arroyo, and allowed a run on three hits while striking out six in 5 1/3 innings in a 6-1 Los Angeles win.