SB Nation Arizona - Lopez Breaks Losing Streak, D-backs Beat Reds, 3-1https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/46593/arizona-fave.png2010-09-16T12:26:33-07:00http://arizona.sbnation.com/rss/stream/14565932010-09-16T12:26:33-07:002010-09-16T12:26:33-07:00Lopez Throws Seven Innings Of One-Run Ball, Downs Reds 3-1
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<p>Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - <span>Rodrigo Lopez</span> tossed seven innings of one- run baseball, as the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> used a three-run fifth inning to beat the <a href="https://www.redreporter.com/">Cincinnati Reds</a>, 3-1, in the finale of a four-game series from Great American Ball Park.</p>
<p>Lopez (6-14), making his 30th start of the season, gave up eight hits to pick up his first victory since July 8 against Florida. He also struck out four and walked zero.</p>
<p><span>Kelly Johnson</span> went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Diamondbacks, who had lost five of six. <span>Stephen Drew</span> and <span>Gerardo Parra</span> each drove in a run.</p>
<p><span>Edinson Volquez</span> (3-3) went 6 2/3 frames in the start for Cincinnati, allowing three runs on six hits. He also fanned seven batters and walked two.</p>
<p>The Reds, who went 4-3 on their homestand, came into play Thursday with an eight-game lead over St. Louis in the National League Central Division. The <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/">Cardinals</a> play the <a href="https://www.gaslampball.com/">Padres</a> later Thursday.</p>
<p>Cincinnati scored its lone run of the game in the first inning. <span>Drew Stubbs</span> singled and crossed the plate on Jonny Gomes' two-out double. Gomes hit a rocket to the wall in center. <span>Chris Young</span> dropped the ball as he ran into the wall.</p>
<p>The Reds put men on the corners with one out in the fourth. Lopez got <span>Ramon Hernandez</span> to fly out and <span>Juan Francisco</span> to go down swinging to end the threat.</p>
<p>The D'Backs went ahead in the fifth. <span>Miguel Montero</span> and <span>Ryan Church</span> walked prior to Parra's double down the right-field line. Drew then reached base on an infield single to plate another run. Johnson's base hit up the middle scored Parra to make it 3-1.</p>
<p><span>Aaron Heilman</span> pitched a perfect eighth and <span>Juan Gutierrez</span> tossed a scoreless ninth to record his 10th save.</p>
<p>The Reds won the season series with the Diamondbacks, 5-2...The Reds were without third baseman <span>Scott Rolen</span> (stiffness in upper back/neck)...Arizona outfielder <span>Justin Upton</span> (left shoulder irritation) missed the game...Lopez improved to 2-0 lifetime against the Reds.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2010/9/16/1693082/lopez-throws-seven-innings-of-oneJustin Burning2010-09-16T08:01:21-07:002010-09-16T08:01:21-07:00Rise And Shine: D-backs With Lopez On The Bump Try For Series Tie, 9:35 A.M. AZT
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<p>(Sports Network) - With 16 games left and an eight-game lead in the National League Central Division, only a complete disaster can prevent the <a href="https://www.redreporter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cincinnati Reds</a> from capturing their first postseason berth since 1995.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.redreporter.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Reds</a> will try to move closer to that goal and record a series victory this afternoon versus the <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Arizona Diamondbacks</a> in the finale of a four-game series from Great American Ball Park. They have won two of the first three portions of this set and are coming off Wednesday's 7-5 victory in which <span>Drew Stubbs</span> highlighted a four-run first inning with a two-run homer.</p>
<p><span>Jonny Gomes</span> had an RBI triple and finished with a pair of RBI and two runs scored for Cincinnati, which is eight games ahead of St. Louis in the standings. The <a href="https://www.vivaelbirdos.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Cardinals</a> lost to Chicago last night. <span>Orlando Cabrera</span> had a big night at the plate with three doubles and three runs scored, while <span>Jay Bruce</span> robbed <span>Adam LaRoche</span> of a possible home run in right field to end the game.</p>
<p>"It was an amazing play," <span>Francisco Cordero</span> said on the team's site. "I'm sure they're going to show that play over and over and over. Whoever watches ESPN and MLB Network, they'll show that quite a few times."</p>
<p>Cordero posted his 36th save after giving up a run and two hits in the ninth. <span>Homer Bailey</span> was pounded in the no-decision, as he allowed three runs and four hits in three innings.</p>
<p>The Reds will begin a nine-game road swing through Houston, Milwaukee and San Diego following today's game, and will send <span>Edinson Volquez</span> to the mound for today's finale versus Arizona. Volquez will make his 10th start of the season and took the mound for the first time since August 23 his previous time out on Saturday in a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.</p>
<p>Volquez pitched seven shutout innings of one-hit ball and struck out 10 batters to remain at 3-2 in nine starts. He lowered his earned run average from 6.17 to 5.14 in the process. The right-hander is 0-0 with a 5.91 ERA in two career starts against Arizona.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.azsnakepit.com/" class="sbn-auto-link">Diamondbacks</a> will try to earn a split of this series Thursday and have lost five of their last six games. In last night's loss, <span>Kelly Johnson</span> homered and <span>Miguel Montero</span> knocked in two runs for Arizona, which saw <span>Joe Saunders</span> fall to 2-6 on the mound.</p>
<p>Saunders was touched for seven runs -- four earned -- and nine hits in 7 1/3 innings. He struck out four and walked one.</p>
<p>"He pitched a great game," D'Backs interim manager Kirk Gibson told the team's website. "He gave up seven runs, but it really wasn't reflective. I mean he was really in control. We could have made some plays. We didn't do that, but regardless, he kept pitching, he dealt with that nicely."</p>
<p>Gibson will have to deal with the fact that struggling right-hander <span>Rodrigo Lopez</span> is set to take the mound Thursday. Lopez is 0-7 with a 6.53 ERA in his last 11 starts, with Arizona going 1-10 in that stretch. He fell to 5-14 overall this season in Saturday's 2-1 loss at Colorado and allowed both runs on seven hits in 6 1/3 innings.</p>
<p>Lopez, a right-hander, will make his 30th start of the season today and is 1-0 with a 6.10 earned run average in five career starts against the Reds.</p>
<p>Cincinnati has won five of six meetings with Arizona this season.</p>
https://arizona.sbnation.com/2010/9/16/2321108/rise-and-shine-d-backs-with-lopez-on-the-bump-try-for-series-tie-9-35Seth Pollack