Daniel Hudson Slows Reds 3-1 But Magic Number Drops to 12

Since the Arizona Diamondbacks acquired Daniel Hudson from the Chicago White Sox, he has been ace-like.

"They gave up a no-hit pitcher for him, (Edwin Jackson).  He's going to be a good one," Dusty Baker said.

He started the game against the first place Reds with a 5-1 record and a paltry 1.91 ERA.  His lone loss was to the Reds in Phoenix on August 17 when he allowed three runs on nine hits as the Reds took a 6-2 decision.

"He was dealing," Baker said.  "He pitched well against us last time but they made an error behind him and we took advantage of it."



Tonight he allowed four hits and handcuffed the home team while his mates reached rookie Travis Wood for nine hits and three runs.  Wood pitched five innings but he allowed five sharp singles in the fourth inning that put the Diamondbacks ahead, 2-0.  Tony Abreu doubled and Justin Upton singled to plate the third run.

Wood did strike out eight.

"I was getting a lot of third strikes on the outside corner, but I fell behind a lot," Wood said  "They didn't always hit the ball hard but they don't have to.  A hit's a hit."

"Wood threw the ball good. They squared some up though in RBI situations," Baker said

Jonny Gomes singled in the second inning, Wood doubled in the third.  Orlando Cabrera doubled in the fourth and Yonder Alonso singled as a pinch hitter in the fifth but that was all.

Hudson finished eight shutout innings allowing the four hits and one walk.  Juan Gutierrez came on in the ninth.

Cabrera opened the ninth with a single.  Joey Votto singled hard off the wall in right.  Scott Rolen struckout on three pitches.  Gomes did the same.  Jay Bruce got nothing to hit and walked on four pitches, leaving the game in the hands of Drew Stubbs with 66 RBI on the year.  Stubbs was hitting .412 with a grand slam and 18 RBI with the bases loaded this season.  Guiterrez hit Stubbs in the left arm with a 1-1 pitch to score Cabrera and put the tying run on secondbase.  Ramon Hernandez lined to right and Justin Upton made a nice running catch to end the game.

With the speedy Stubbs on first the play was win or lose for both teams.  With two out Stubbs would have easily scored the winning run had Upton not been up to making the catch.

"That shows you the importance of defense right there," Baker said.  "Mony (Ramon Hernandez) scalded that ball.  That's why we stress defense, it may not always win you a game but it can save one.  Did you see the strides he used to run that down?  That's an athlete.  He wanted that ball."

Hernandez was certain it was going to win the game.

"The way I hit it I thought it was in the gap.  He made a great, great play.  You have to tip your hat to him," Hernandez said.  "We never give up.  We put together good at bats and made him (Gutierrez) strikes," Hernandez said.

Upton was sitting by his locker watching his older brother B.J. bat for Tampa Bay in a 7-7 game against the Yankees.

"I got a good jump on the ball when it came off the bat," Justin Upton said.  "It got up in the lights a little bit but I was tracking it.  It came out of the lights in time for me to get a glove on it."

Meanwhile in St. Louis the Chicago Cubs defeated Adam Wainwright, 7-2 to keep the Cardinals seven games behind the Reds and drop the magic number to 12.  Any combination of Reds wins and Cardinals losses that add up to 12 gives the Reds the Central Division.