Field Level Media
Aug 11, 2018
Cincinnati pinch hitter Tucker Barnhart hit a two-run, go-ahead double in a four-run eighth inning, and the Reds continued their recent success against first-place teams with a 6-3 victory over the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks at Great American Ball Park on Saturday.
Barnhart hit a two-out double on a 3-2 pitch from Archie Bradley (3-4), and Billy Hamilton and Joey Votto added RBIs singles off reliever T.J. McFarland as the Reds improved to 14-5 in their last six series against division leaders.
Hamilton had two singles and two stolen bases, and Phillip Ervin and right-hander Matt Harvey had RBI hits for the Reds, who have won three of their last four and are 44-38 since Harvey joined them on May 8.
David Peralta and Eduardo Escobar homered for the Diamondbacks, who have lost three of four. The game was delayed 40 minutes at the start because of rain.
Peralta hit his 20th homer of the season to break a 2-2 tie with one out in the eighth inning off David Hernandez before Amir Garrett (1-2) entered to retire the only batter he faced, getting Escobar to fly out to left with a runner on third and two outs.
Peralta has 19 hits and four homers in his last nine games, including three four-hit games and a three-hit game.
Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 23rd save, his second in the series.
Bradley, who got out of a two-on, two-out situation in the seventh, hit Eugenio Suarez with a pitch to open the eighth and walked Curt Casali with two out before Barnhart doubled. Hamilton singled in a run and stole second, Jose Peraza was intentionally walked and Votto singled to left for the final run of the inning.
Harvey gave up five hits and two runs in seven innings, with seven strikeouts and one walk. He had given up 15 earned runs in 12 2/3 innings over his last three starts.
A.J. Pollock singled to open the fourth inning before Escobar hit his 16th homer of the season for a 2-0 lead. It was Escobar's first homer since joining the Diamondbacks on July 27 in a trade with Minnesota.
The Reds tied it in their fourth after Suarez was hit by pitch to open the inning. Ervin doubled in Suarez, took third on a flyout and scored on Harvey's two-out single to right.
Arizona left-hander Robbie Ray gave up four hits and two runs in five innings, with six strikeouts and two walks in the no-decision. He is 10-2 with a 2.13 ERA in 23 road appearances the last two seasons, leading the majors in road winning percentage.
--Field Level Media