As the Reds moved their weary selves into Arizona for a three-game series with the promise of the much-needed off-day on the other side, they will accept contributions from all corners of the clubhouse.
In a 3-2 Reds win over the D-backs, most of the storylines happened to come from Bronson Arroyo’s corner. Not only did Arroyo pitch well for six innings, it was his home run in the top of the sixth inning that held up as the game winner.
“It’s another unlikely hero,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said of Arroyo, the hitter. “That was a game we really needed, especially after the Cardinals won.”
Cincinnati, in the final series in a stretch of 34 games over 34 days, maintained its six-game lead over second-place St. Louis in the National League Central. It was the Cardinals that took two of three from the Reds in a series that wrapped on Sunday at Great American Ball Park.
No time to lick wounds, time to keep pushing forward. Arroyo (11-7) made it easier to do that on the mound and with the bat.
In the sixth inning with two outs and the game tied, 2-2, Arroyo drove a 3-2 Tyler Skaggs pitch to left field that appeared to bounce off the top of the wall. Third base umpire and crew chief Derryl Cousins immediately ruled the ball did not clear the fence and Arroyo reached second base with a stand-up double.
Before play continued, Baker asked for the umpires to confer over the call. Cousins and his crew left the field to review it via video replay, and then overturned the original call to award Arroyo with a home run. The video showed the ball actually did clear the fence, and ricocheted off a railing before going back into play.
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