Reds Score Early Fight off Snakes 7-5

Last night Justin Upton saved the Arizona Diamondbacks with a game saving catch to end the game.

Jay Bruce returned the favor tonight, snaring a high fly hit by Adam LaRoche in the very right field corner.  The ball was hit very high and twisting and arching toward the foul pole.  Bruce had to get his bearings and couldn't follow the ball all the way.

"I had to make sure I could get there," Bruce said.  "If I couldn't get over there, I couldn't catch it at all.  I was jumping kind of laterally.  I had to run so far, I didn't know really where it was."

The catch took Francisco Cordero off the hook.

The Reds scored four in the first inning and one in the second to take an early 5-0 lead but only the first of Orlando Cabrera's three doubles and a two-run home run by Drew Stubbs (18) were hit well.  An dropped line drive by centerfielder Chris Young contributed to the outburst off Arizona starter Joel Saunders, who pitched better than his line indicated.

The Reds scored again in the second.  Cabrera doubled and Joey Votto drove in his 104th run of the season.

But Reds starter Homer Bailey was dizzy.

"I saw his face when he went out there in the first inning.  I told (pitching coach) Bryan (Price) he doesn't look right.  It looked like he was nervous or way out there. I could tell something was wrong he threw the first two balls in the dirt.  He never throws balls in the dirt," Dusty Baker said.

The Diamondbacks took advantage of two walks, two singles and a double to close the margin to 5-3.

"I got a little lightheaded.  I'll get a little bit of rest tonight.  I had a headache.  I thought my hat was too tight or something," Bailey said.  "I was off balance and stuff.  I've have not had this before."

Matt Maloney picked up his first win of the year.  He pitched 2 1/3 innings.  He allowed a solo home run to Kelly Johnson after he retired the first seven batters he faced.  Nick Masset finish the inning.  Aroldis Chapman struck out two in a perfect eighth.

The Reds got to Saunders again in the bottom of the eighth.  Saunders pitched 7 1/3 innings and allowed 10 hits.  Three of the seven runs scored off him were unearned.

"There were plays we could have made," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said.  "He gave up seven runs but they weren't reflective of the way he threw.  He was in control."

Cabrera doubled yet again.  Votto grounded out sending Cabrera to third.  Jonny Gomes, who tripled in the first blooped a single to right.  Miguel Cairo playing for a sore Scott Rolen hit a line drive into leftcenter that glanced off Gerardo Parra's glove after a long run.  The drive off Esmeriling Vasquez was originally ruled an error but changed to a double.  Vazquez walked Stubbs then hit Ryan Hanigan to plate the Reds seventh run.

"Those were the epitome of insurance runs, right there," Baker said.

That set the stage for Cordero, who made it interesting again.

Pinch hitter Tony Abreu and Stephen Drew singled to start the inning.  Johnson hit into a force play.  Chris Young grounded out to score Abreu.  Then LaRoche hit the fly that Bruce caught.

Cordero has been struggling.  He blew two saves against Pittsburgh over the weekend and Bruce saved him.

"He's our closer.  I have 100 percent confidence in him.  He has 36 saves.  How many guys in the league have that many saves?  Some have gotten away but that's the name of the game.  That's baseball.  It's not easy."