Reds lose to lowly Diamondbacks 3-1
Edinson Volquez did not give the Arizona Diamondbacks much to work with, but they made the most out of what he did give them to win 3-1 Thursday.
Volquez retired the side in two of the first four innings of the game and only allowed a single hit in the other two, but a poor fifth inning ended up costing him the win. Arizona got two walks and a three of their six hits in the fifth inning scoring three
runs, which ended up being all the Diamondbacks needed. He was taken out two outs in to the seventh inning.
“I felt good today,” said Volquez. “I feel I’m getting everything together. I’m more consistent, I’m throwing strikes, my delivery is together. My last two games I’ve pitched really well.”
Jonny Gomes started the scoring in the first inning with a double off Arizona starter Rodrigo Lopez that scored Drew Stubbs. The run ended up being the only one the Reds scored on the day even though they had eight base runners on the day; however, only three
ever got in scoring position.
The Reds missed out on a opportunity to nearly clinch the NL Central division title, but lost three of seven games recently to two of the worst teams in the league. Over the next 12 games the Reds play nine games against some of the worst teams in baseball
and should have no trouble locking up their first division title since 1995.
“We’re getting close,” said Volquez. “We don’t have that many left. If we win the series in Houston, it will be real exiting. We’ll be really close.”
NL MVP candidate Joey Votto had a quiet night getting just one hit, a double to right field in the fourth inning. He advanced to third off Jay Bruce’s single, but was stranded there when Juan Francisco struck out to end the inning.
With the loss the Reds dropped to 83-64 on the season. Since the St. Louis Cardinals won Thursday the Reds lead in the NL Central decreased to seven games with 15 left to play.
Next up for the Reds is a 10-day, nine-game road trip that starts with a weekend series against a division foe, the Houston Astros. Johnny Cueto is scheduled to take the mound in the first game of a three game series Friday against Wandy Rodriguez for the Astros.
The Reds have won seven of the last nine with Houston; Cueto won his last game against the Astros on 24 July, 7-0.
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