Arizona @ Cincinnati preview
Great American Ball Park
Last Meeting ( Aug 19, 2010 ) Cincinnati 9, Arizona 5
The Cincinnati Reds are one win away from a pair of achievements. Bronson Arroyo is hoping to deliver while matching a personal milestone in the process.
Arroyo looks to match his career high in victories on Monday as the Reds host the Arizona Diamondbacks in the opener of a four-game series.
With its next triumph, Cincinnati will both clinch its first winning season since 2000 and set the club mark for most wins at Great American Ball Park. The Reds went 43-38 at their current stadium in 2008.
Cincinnati was one out away from accomplishing the feats on Sunday, but closer Francisco Cordero allowed a three-run double by Andrew McCutchen and the Pittsburgh Pirates went on to post a 3-1 victory. It was the eighth blown save of the season for Cordero and second in three appearances.
Coupled with St. Louis' 7-3 win over the Atlanta Braves, the Reds' lead over the Cardinals in the NL Central was reduced to six games. But with Arizona coming in for four games, the margin has a good chance of increasing.
Cincinnati is 3-0 against the Diamondbacks this season, 8-1 over the last two years and 12-3 in the last three campaigns. The Reds, who have lost six of their last eight games, have won 10 of their last 11 meetings with Arizona.
Arroyo will be attempting to halt a personal three-game slide in which he has allowed 13 earned runs over 17 1/3 innings for a 6.75 ERA. The right-hander has not lost four consecutive decisions since dropping seven in a row from May 11-June 24, 2007 or four straight starts since May 27-June 26, 2004, when he was beaten six times in six outings.
On Wednesday, Arroyo was battered for seven runs and eight hits over 4 1/3 innings in a 9-2 loss at Colorado.
Arroyo owns a 2-3 record and 4.83 ERA in nine career games, including two relief appearances, against the Diamondbacks. He led the Reds to a 6-2 triumph at Arizona on Aug. 17, yielding two runs and six hits in 7 1/3 frames.
In 13 home starts this year, Arroyo is 5-5 with a 4.32 ERA.
The Diamondbacks, who have dropped three in a row and seven of eight, will counter with Barry Enright, who is coming off the worst outing of his brief major league career.
On Tuesday, Enright surrendered six runs and nine hits in six innings en route to a 6-3 loss to San Francisco. It was the first loss since July 11 against Florida for the rookie, who had won five straight.
It also was the first time in 13 career starts Enright gave up more than three runs.
The 24-year-old Enright, who will be facing the Diamondbacks for the first time, is 2-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five outings on the road this year.
Arizona has lost four road games in a row, including Sunday's 4-2 defeat in Colorado. Ian Kennedy, who along with Stephen Drew led the Diamondbacks with three hits, tossed six scoreless innings before leaving with a cramp in his right calf.
Sam Demel was saddled with the loss after serving up a two-run homer to pinch-hitter Jason Giambi in the bottom of the ninth inning.