Reds overpower D-backs in 14-8 win
CINCINNATI – Graham Ashcraft pitched six shutout innings to extend his impressive debut run, Joey Votto led an early homer barrage and the Cincinnati Reds beat the slumping Arizona Diamondbacks 14-8 Tuesday night.
Votto hit a three-run homer in the first inning, and Brandon Drury and Matt Reynolds added tworun drives within the first three innings for a 9-0 lead. The advantage stayed there until the game was delayed 63 minutes by rain after seven innings.
Tommy Pham contributed a solo homer and Tyler Stephenson a two-run blast in a five-run eighth for the Reds.
Ashcraft retired his first 10 batters after rotation-mate Hunter Greene retired his final 20 in Monday’s 7-0 victory. Pavin
Smith singled off Ashcraft with one out in the fourth but was thrown out trying to stretch it into a double. Ketel Marte followed with a clean single to end Arizona’s
slump.
Ashcraft (3-0) lowered his ERA to 1.14 over his first four major league starts while allowing three hits with four strikeouts.
He logged 11 groundball outs.
Reynolds added a tworun single in the eighth to finish with four RBIs in the Reds’ biggest win since a 20-5 romp over the Cubs on May 26 in Cincinnati.
The Diamondbacks have lost four straight games and five of six. They hadn’t scored in 26 innings until Geraldo Perdomo’s first career home run – a grand slam – and Marte’s solo shot in the eighth. Perdomo finished with five RBIs.
The Reds rocked lefthander Tyler Gilbert, recalled from the taxi squad to make the start, with five hits and seven runs, six earned. Gilbert (0-3) walked two, struck out two and hit a batter in 1 2-3 innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: LF David Peralta was back in the starting lineup after leaving Monday’s game with back spasms . ... RHP Humberto Castellanos (strained right elbow) remains in the treatment phase, manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’re talking in terms of weeks,” Lovullo said. “I don’t know exactly how long.”
Reds: LHP Nick Lodolo (lower right back) left Tuesday for Goodyear, Arizona, where he’s scheduled to pitch one live batting practice session and one game before returning to Cincinnati for evaluation. ... RHP Lucas Sims (lower back) was supposed to throw a bullpen on Tuesday, but discomfort on Monday prompted a delay.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Merrill Kelly (4-3) is 3-1 in five road starts this season.
Reds: LHP Mike Minor (0-1) makes his second start of the season since coming off the injured list (left shoulder strain).