Arroyo pitches Reds to win over Cubs

[August 21, 2008]  CHICAGO (AP) -- Bronson Arroyo allowed three hits and a run in seven strong innings Wednesday night, and the Cincinnati Reds cooled off the Chicago Cubs with a 2-1 victory.

Arroyo (11-10) tied a career high by issuing five walks, struck out four and was backed by two double plays in a duel with Cubs starter Ted Lilly, who held the Reds hitless the first five innings.

The loss was only the fifth in the last 22 games for the NL Central-leading Cubs.

The Reds broke a 1-1 tie in the seventh when Edwin Encarnacion hit a fly that fell in front of Chicago left fielder Alfonso Soriano and behind shortstop Ryan Theriot for a leadoff double. He moved up on an infield out and scored on Jolbert Cabrera's sacrifice fly.

David Weathers pitched the eighth and Francisco Cordero struck out the side in the ninth for his 24th save in 30 chances.

Lilly (12-7) fell to 0-3 against the Reds this season with all three losses at Wrigley Field, and was hurt by a third-strike wild pitch when the Reds tied the game in the sixth. The left-hander gave up two hits in seven innings and lost for the first time since the Reds beat him on July 10.

Lilly didn't allow a hit until Ryan Hanigan doubled off the top of the center field wall leading off the sixth. One out later, Chris Dickerson reached on the third strike wild pitch to put runners at the corners.

When Jeff Keppinger hit a shot between first and second, Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa made his third nice play of the game to stop the ball and throw to second for the force, but Theriot's relay to first wasn't in time for a double play as Hanigan scored the tying run.

Keppinger stole second and after Jay Bruce walked, Brandon Phillips flied out to end the inning.

The closest the Reds came to a hit in the first five innings came on Hanigan's third-inning liner that DeRosa snared with a diving backhanded effort just before the ball hit the ground. DeRosa also made a nice play in the second on a hard hopper off the bat of Joey Votto.

Arroyo struggled with his control early on, giving up four walks in the first four inning, one intentional. He surrendered a run in the second when Aramis Ramirez singled and moved up on on an infield out and wild pitch before DeRosa hit an RBI single. But he escaped two other potential jams by inducing double play grounders from Ramirez and Geovany Soto in the third and fourth.

Notes: The Reds put INF/OF Jerry Hairston Jr. on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right hamstring and recalled infielder Adam Rosales from Class AAA Louisville. ... The Cubs are now 46-18 at Wrigley Field. ... The Reds still do not have a complete game this season. The only other team in the majors without one is the Houston Astros. ... DeRosa made another great catch in the ninth to save a run, going high to grab Cabrera's liner to end the inning.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

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