The Arizona Diamondbacks continued their domination of the Cincinnati Reds, securing a winning series and also the season series, downing the struggling NL Central champs 3-1 in Cincinnati. With the win -- their third straight -- Arizona pulled to .500 on the season at 8-8, while dropping the Reds to .500 at 9-9.
Ian Kennedy, who got bombed in his last start, showed a lot of Gibson grit in 5 1/3 innings. He allowed one run on four hits, and while the box score says he was great, he had to work. He threw 103 pitches and also got belted on the lower leg, but allowed only one extra-base hit, a run-scoring double by Joey Votto that ended his night.
The offense was also gritty. The first run scored on a sacrifice fly in the first inning and their second run was a clinic of manufacturing runs (aka. gritty offense). Stephen Drew led off the inning with a double. Ryan Roberts moved him to third on a flyout to right field and then Ian Kennedy scored him on an RBI groundout.
Once again, Ryan Roberts was a hero. After pulling within one run in the sixth inning, Roberts doubled in a third run against Reds starter Bronson Arroyo in the seventh, who after giving up the two early runs, set down 14 Diamondbacks in a row.
After Kennedy was taken out, Juan Gutierrez promptly fell behind 3-0 to the first batter he faced, but then got the final two outs, leaving the tying run stranded at second.
Sam Demel, David Hernandez and J.J. Putz pitched three innings of no-hit relief to end the game. Putz logged his fifth save on the year.
Tomorrow the Diamondbacks will go for a gritty road sweep, sending Daniel Hudson to the mound against ASU alum and alleged shoplifter Mike Leake. It is day baseball, starting at 9:35 AM Arizona time.
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