Griffey, Phillips lead Reds to 6-2 win over St. Louis

[June 13, 2008]  CINCINNATI (AP) -- Brandon Phillips hit a three-run triple in Cincinnati's four-run seventh inning and the Reds beat the St. Louis Cardinals 6-2 on Thursday night.

Cincinnati loaded the bases against relievers Mark Worrell (0-1) and Randy Flores with two outs in the seventh. Ken Griffey Jr. walked to force in the go-ahead run and Phillips followed with a drive down the right-field line that got past a lunging Ryan Ludwick and bounced into the corner.

Jared Burton (3-1) struck out two in 1 2-3 scoreless innings for the Reds, who ended the Cardinals' four-game winning streak.

Joel Pineiro allowed two runs and three hits over five innings in his first start for St. Louis since May 20. Pineiro was activated from the 15-day disabled list before the game after being sidelined with a strained right groin.

Pitcher Bronson Arroyo's third-inning single was the Reds' only hit off Pineiro before Edwin Encarnacion led off the fifth with a double off the left-field wall. Encarnacion advanced to third when Pineiro's errant pickoff attempt went into center field and scored on David Ross' suicide squeeze.

Arroyo followed with a homer into the left-field seats, the first home run by a Reds pitcher this season and the fourth of his career.

The Cardinals tied it in the seventh, taking advantage of Encarnacion's throwing error on Rick Ankiel's grounder to third. Troy Glaus followed with his eighth home run of the season.

Arroyo allowed just two hits and one walk in six scoreless innings.

Notes: Reds OF Jay Bruce didn't start but hit for Burton in the eighth and doubled to right. He stayed in to play left field in the ninth. Bruce started each of his first 16 games with Cincinnati. ... The Cardinals made room for Pineiro on the active roster by placing 1B Albert Pujols on the 15-day DL, retroactive to Wednesday, with a strained left calf. ... The Reds announced that former major league pitcher Jerry Walker had been hired as a special assistant for player personnel for general manager Walt Jocketty. Walker, who pitched for three teams in eight years from 1957 through 1963, spent 13 years working for St. Louis when Jocketty was the Cardinals general manager.

[Associated Press; By RICK GANO]

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