Arroyo Masters Toronto Reds Win 2-1

Bronson Arroyo found a way to get Toronto Blue Jays hitters out.

He managed just 7 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays in his last three meetings with them but exceeded it on Sunday.

Aaron Hill hit a home run to lead off the fifth inning.  Juan Rivera and J.P. Arencibia followed with singles to put runners on first and third with no outs.  The Reds luck turned around on the next batter.

John McDonald was attempting to lay down a squeeze bunt but failed to get it down.  Joey Votto grabbed it and fired to an alert Miguel Cairo to double Rivera off third.  Arroyo allowed just two base runners in his last three innings.

"You need breaks like that," Dusty Baker said.

"It changed the game," Arroyo said.  "If we don't get that there, they probably score a run and have a man on second base.  That was huge.  We played some good defense today."

Miguel Cairo broke a 16 inning scoring drought with a two-run home run off his former mates.  Cairo had popped up to Adam Lind, the firstbaseman in his previous two at bats.

"Villanueva got me out with fastballs in the times before.  I was looking for a pitch middle in and I got it.  I put a good swing on it," Cairo said.

Francisco Cordero easily navigated through the meat of the Blue Jay's order to pick up his 15th win in 17 tries.  He got hard hitting, Jose Bautista out on a line drive to center.  Lind hit a hard ground ball down the line that Votto stabbed and completed the play to Cordero.  Hill hit a routine fly to right field to end the game and the mini losing streak.

Arroyo explained away the problems he had with Toronto in the past.

"It's a totally different lineup," Arroyo said.  "I drawing a blank on their names but you take the Puerto Rican kid in right (Alex Rios), the black kid in center (Vernon Wells) out of there.  You take those to guys and a couple more righties in the lineup.  The bottom of the order is a lot easier to pitch too and I face the pitcher."

Baker wasn't worried at all about Arroyo's history with Toronto.

"You know how Bronson is," Baker said.  "He'll get hit around four or five starts, then pitch seven good ones."



By Mark Schmetzer