Associated Press
Eds: Diamondbacks 9, Reds 8. With AP Photos.
CINCINNATI (AP) — What might be Jay Bruce’s last home run in Cincinnati as a Red wasn’t quite enough to put his team over the top.
The All-Star right fielder hit a three-run homer with nobody out in the ninth inning on Sunday against Arizona, but pitcher Tyler Clippard was able to regroup and get the final three outs as the Diamondbacks held off the Reds for a 9-8 win.
Bruce has been the subject of trade talks for more than a year as the Reds continue to rebuild.
“It could have been my last home run at Great American Ball Park,” he said. “Also it might not have been. We’ll see. It was a good note.”
The Reds came from behind once to take a lead and again to tie the score, but they couldn’t polish off their third consecutive comeback win in the series.
“It’s been good this home stand,” manager Bryan Price said. “There was that big rally against their closer. (Zack) Cozart getting on base with the walk and on we go. Joey (Votto) given us the great at bat and Jay hitting the home run. It was a situation where we were a homer away from walking them off. That says a lot.”
Paul Goldschmidt’s solo home run in the fifth inning gave Arizona the lead for good. Yasmany Tomas chipped in a with a pair of solo home runs and Wellington Castillo had a three-run shot as Arizona ended a four-game losing streak and avoided a three-game sweep in Cincinnati for the first time since 2007.
Every Cincinnati starter except pitcher Brandon Finnegan had at least one hit off starter Zack Godley, helping the Reds come from behind twice.
Godley (3-1) became the first pitcher in franchise history to reach seven career wins as a starter in as few as 10 starts. He allowed 10 hits and five runs with two walks and three strikeouts. He also hit a batter.
Finnegan (5-8) failed for the fourth consecutive start to get past five innings. He allowed seven hits and six runs with two walk and three strikeouts.
Goldschmidt was 0-for-6 with four walks in the series before leading off the fifth with his 17th home run of the season to break a 5-all tie.
The teams combined for 13 hits and 10 runs in the first three innings, including Tomas’s one-out home run in the second on the first pitch he saw from Finnegan and Castillo’s opposite-field shot into the right field seats in the third.
Tomas hit Josh Smith’s first pitch of the eighth for his second homer of the game.
WILD GIFT
Brandon Drury gave Arizona a 7-5 lead when he scored from third base on Ross Ohlendorf’s wild pitch on which Jean Segura struck out. Segura reached first base, but he was caught stealing.
HOMER UNHAPPY
Reds LHP Brandon Finnegan moved into a tie with Washington RHP Max Scherzer for the National League lead in home runs allowed with 22 after giving up three to the Diamondbacks on Sunday
TRAINING ROOM
Diamondbacks: RHP Zack Greinke, who’s been on the disabled list since June 29 with a left oblique strain, threw 45 pitches during a bullpen session. His next step either will be a simulated game with the Diamondbacks or a minor league rehab game, manager Chip Hale said.
Reds: The game was delayed for a couple of minutes while a Reds trainer checked out catcher Ramon Cabrera after he took a Brandon Drury foul tip off his facemask. Cabrera stayed in the game.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: RHP Brandon Shipley, Arizona’s top pick and the 15th overall choice in the 2013 draft, is scheduled to make his major league debut on Monday in the opener of a four-game series at Milwaukee.
Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani tries to improve to 6-0 in nine starts as the Reds on Monday open a seven-day, six-game West Coast swing with the first of three games at San Francisco.
