Jake Fraley doubled home the go-ahead run in the sixth inning and the Cincinnati Reds blew the game open in the eighth while defeating the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks 7-3 on Sunday to sweep a three-game series.
Fraley’s hit scored Spencer Steer from first base. Steer then singled home a run in the eighth, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s single brought in two more.
The Diamondbacks threatened in the ninth, putting their first two batters on base against Levi Stoudt. Rookie sensation Corbin Carroll struck out before Lucas Sims entered for the Reds. Sims walked Christian Walker to load the bases, but he induced a game-ending double play grounder from Lourdes Gurriel Jr. to notch his second save.
Six relievers combined for five scoreless innings as Cincinnati won its fifth straight game. Derek Law (4-4), the second of those relievers, picked up the win with a scoreless inning.
Arizona’s Tyler Gilbert (0-1), who surrendered the Reds’ go-ahead run in the sixth, took the loss. The Diamondbacks lost their fourth in a row and their seventh in nine games since the All-Star break.
Young stars from each team flexed their power. Carroll ripped his 21st homer, a two-run shot that tied the game at 3-3 in the fifth inning. Reds rookie Elly De La Cruz hit a bomb to lead off the game for the Reds.
The Diamondbacks chased Reds starter Luke Weaver in the fifth. Geraldo Perdomo singled and raced around the bases when first baseman Steer threw the ball down the right-field line on Ketel Marte’s dribbler, which went for a single.
Carroll then walloped Weaver’s hanging curveball out to center field. It left the bat at 105.9 mph and went 446 feet for his 21st of the season.
Weaver was pulled after Christian Walker followed with a double. In four-plus innings, Weaver gave up three runs on eight hits and two walks.
Marte reached base four times Sunday and went 6-for-10 with two homers in the series, both Friday, and had five RBIs.
De La Cruz’s homer went 407 feet to right field and at 110.7 mph, his fifthof the season. Nick Senzel expanded the lead to 3-0 in the second with a home run to left off Jose Ruiz. It followed a two-out single by Encarnacion-Strand.
Ruiz was tasked to start a bullpen game for the Diamondbacks and went 1 2/3 innings.
–Field Level Media
