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Reds Overpower D-backs In Surprisingly Close Game

Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Drew Stubbs hit a two-run homer, and Jay Bruce made a potential game-saving catch at the right-field wall to end the game, as the NL Central-leading Reds held on for a 7-5 win over Arizona in the third meeting of a four-game series.

The Diamondbacks got a run off Francisco Cordero in the ninth on Chris Young's RBI groundout and brought the tying run to the plate in Adam LaRoche. With two outs and a runner on second, LaRoche sent a fly ball down the right-field line that Bruce, insert as a defensive replacement in the seventh inning, made a perfectly-timed jump on at the wall, bringing it down to finish off Cordero's 36th save and the club's fourth win in six games.

Orlando Cabrera had three doubles and scored each time, twice on hits from Jonny Gomes, as the Reds stretched their division lead over the Cardinals to 7 1/2 games and cut their magic number to 11.

Matt Maloney (1-2) gave up one hit -- a solo homer to Kelly Johnson -- in 2 1/3 innings of relief to earn a win behind Homer Bailey, who gave up three runs on four hits and five walks in only three innings of work.

Joe Saunders (2-6) gave up seven runs -- only three earned -- on nine hits in 7 1/3 innings for the Diamondbacks, who won Tuesday's game, 3-1.

The Reds jumped out to a 5-0 lead over the first two innings, with four coming in the opening frame. Cabrera doubled with one away, then came around on a two-out triple down the left-field line from Gomes, who scored when Young couldn't come up with Miguel Cairo's blooper to center.

The error extended the inning and allowed Stubbs to step to the plate and hit his 18th home run of the year. Cabrera doubled again in the second and raced around on Joey Votto's dribbler up the middle.

Arizona responded with three in the third, two via Miguel Montero's bases- loaded double to center. Brandon Allen's run-scoring groundout made it 5-3, and it stayed that way until Johnson launched his 21st of the year in the seventh, a solo shot to right-center.

Cincinnati got some insurance in the eighth, as Cabrera led off with a two- bagger and came home on Gomes' base hit to right. Esmerling Vasquez then relieved Saunders, promptly loaded the bases, and plunked Ryan Hanigan to force in a run.

The D'Backs struck out 13 times, making it the eighth time in the last nine games they have had 12 or more strikeouts...Cordero had blown his previous two save opportunities...Votto's RBI was his 104th on the year...Cincy's Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect eighth, striking out two.