Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) – Brandon Phillips reached base three times and drove in a run, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the floundering Cleveland Indians, 6-4, in the second of three interleague games between the two Ohio baseball clubs.
Drew Stubbs added a hit and two runs scored for the Reds, who have won five straight. Arthur Rhodes, who rarely makes headlines as a journeyman relief pitcher, threw one scoreless inning to record his 33rd straight outing without yielding a run, tying a major league record. He’s thrown 30 consecutive shutout innings, and his earned run average stands at just 0.28.
Daniel Ray Herrera (1-3) earned the win for recording one out, and Francisco Cordero earned his 20th save.
Anderson Hernandez drove in two runs for the Indians, who have lost seven straight and 11 of 12. Justin Masterson (2-7) struggled with his control, allowing six runs, six hits and four walks in just five-plus innings of work.
The Reds scored three times in the sixth to break a 3-3 tie.
Jay Bruce began the inning with an infield single and moved to second on a wild pitch. Laynce Nix followed with a go-ahead RBI single, and Stubbs worked a walk to signal the end of Masterson’s outing.
Frank Herrmann came in to pitch, and Ramon Hernandez moved the runners to second and third with a sacrifice. Pinch-hitter Miguel Cairo lofted a sacrifice fly before Phillips’ single scored Stubbs for a 6-3 cushion.
The Indians made a game of it in the ninth, when Austin Kearns singled with two away to score Trevor Crowe and cut the deficit to two. Shelley Duncan, representing the go-ahead run, couldn’t keep the rally going, striking out on a full count to end the game.
The teams traded runs in the first inning. The Indians jumped on top when Shin-Soo Choo worked a one-out walk, stole second and scored on Carlos Santana’s double, and Cincinnati answered on Scott Rolen’s RBI single in the home half.
Cleveland went back ahead in the fourth. Jhonny Peralta started the frame with a single and moved to third on Jayson Nix’s double, and both runners scored on Hernandez’s ground-rule double for a 3-1 lead.
In the home fifth, Stubbs singled and went to second on an errant pickoff play. Pitcher Micah Owings followed with an RBI single to cut the deficit to one, and Phillips worked a walk. Orlando Cabrera walked to load the bases with one out, and Owings scored on a Joey Votto groundout to tie the game.
Game Notes
Reds starter Sam LeCure went 3 1/3 frames and gave up three runs, six hits and four walks…The Reds lead the all-time series, 35-33…Rhodes is now tied with Mets pitcher Mark Guthrie and Colorado pitcher Mike Myers for the scoreless streak record…Cincinnati first baseman Joey Votto drew a walk to extend his streak of reaching base safely to an MLB-best 34 games.