Diamondbacks rally for 5-4 win over Reds

[August 21, 2015]  CINCINNATI -- The Arizona Diamondbacks lead the National League in runs scored. So trailing by four runs after two innings on Thursday night, they thought it was a matter of time before they broke through.

"It wasn't looking good," Diamondbacks center fielder A.J. Pollock said. "Our bats were a little stale. The quality of the at-bats got better throughout the game."

Pollock had one of those quality at-bats in the eighth inning when he drove in the go-ahead runs with a two-run single on a 90 mph sinker from right-hander Burke Badenhop, lifting Arizona to a 5-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a four-game series at Great American Ball Park.

"The way it started ... we just couldn't get anything going," Arizona manager Chip Hale said. "Guys kept competing. We talk about that in our meetings. I'm very proud of them."

Second baseman Chris Owings, whose solo homer started the rally, fell a triple shy of the cycle and Pollock went 4-for-5 with three RBIs for Arizona (59-61), which is 15-10 in its last 25 games.

Center fielder Jason Bourgeois went 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI for Cincinnati (51-68), which dropped its sixth straight. It was Bourgeois' first two-hit game since Sept. 4, 2014.

Reds rookie left-hander John Lamb, making his second major league appearance, allowed three runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. Lamb was denied his first career victory when the Diamondbacks rallied.

"I thought I threw the ball well," Lamb said. "I fell behind on (Owings') home run. I tip my cap to him. I didn't get the ball in far enough. It's a learning experience. I felt strong, I was just making some mistakes."

With the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, Pollock singled on a 1-1 pitch from Badenhop to put the Diamondbacks ahead to stay.

"Badenhop has a lot of sink on his ball. I've faced him a couple times," Pollock said. "He's got so much movement on his ball. I was just trying to pound it into the ground. I hit it hard enough to get up the middle."

Badenhop (1-3) allowed two runs and three hits in one inning to take the loss.

Arizona's bullpen pitched seven scoreless innings.

The Reds threatened to break through in the eighth with a walk and a single to begin the inning. But right-hander Daniel Hudson retired the next three batters to end the threat.

Brad Ziegler pitched the ninth for his 22nd save. David Hernandez (1-3) picked up the victory.

Five of the first eight batters that Diamondbacks left-hander Patrick Corbin faced reached base, and three scored.

Cincinnati went ahead 1-0 in the first on right fielder Jay Bruce's bases-loaded sacrifice fly. Corbin avoided further damage in the inning when left fielder Ender Inciarte threw out Reds shortstop Eugenio Suarez attempting to reach third on the play.

The Reds added a run in the second when left fielder Skip Schumaker doubled and scored on catcher Tucker Barnhart's single.

The hits kept on coming for Cincinnati as Bourgeois doubled off the center field wall, scoring Barnhart. Suarez followed with a sharp single to center, putting the Reds ahead 4-0.

Cincinnati was denied a fifth run when Suarez was thrown out again, this time at home on a relay from shortstop Nick Ahmed. It took a three-minute, 26-second review to confirm the out call, but Corbin's night was finished.

Corbin allowed four runs and eight hits in two innings.

"He just didn't have it," Hale said. "The pitches piled up early."

Lamb scuffled in the fifth when Owings launched a 1-0 pitch for his fourth homer of the season and Pollock added a RBI single, making the score 4-2.

Pollock completed the comeback three innings later, sealing another tough loss for Cincinnati.

The Reds played short-handed with an injury to second baseman Brandon Phillips and left fielder Marlon Byrd being traded before the game.

"We were limited," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We need to get well in a hurry, and we need our starters to go deeper."

NOTES: The Reds took another step in their rebuilding process Thursday, trading veteran OF Marlon Byrd to the Giants in exchange for Double-A RHP Stephen Johnson. Byrd batted .237 with 19 homers and 42 RBIs in 96 games for the Reds. OF Skip Schumaker started in left field Thursday after the deal was official. ... Diamondbacks RHP Jeremy Hellickson was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left hamstring. Arizona recalled RHP Chase Anderson from Triple-A Reno just two days after he was demoted. He will start Sunday's series finale in Cincinnati. RHP Randall Delgado will move from the bullpen to start Saturday. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips was out of the lineup after leaving Wednesday's game with inflammation in his right biceps tendon. INF Ivan De Jesus Jr. started at second.

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