The Reds knicked Jordan Montgomery for two runs but Eugenio Suarez homered and singled to lead the Arizona Diamondbacks to a 4-3. It extended the Reds losing streak to seven games.
The Diamondbacks won three games in a row for the first time.
"I think these are good games for us to win," Torrey Lovullo said. "We have to win one-run games. We have to learn how to execute at critical points in the game and expect to have this type of outcome."
The Reds scored first in the game for the first time since Wednesday. They snapped a four-game, home stand long stretch by scoring off the starting pitcher in the second inning.
Tyler Stephenson doubled off Montgomery and continued to third when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. couldn't pick up the ball in the corner. Santiago Espinal hit the hardest ball of the inning but third baseman Eugenio Suarez dived for the ball and knocked the ball down. Kevin Newman picked it up and threw out Espinal. Stephenson had to freeze on the line drive. Stuart Fairchild singled home Stephenson.
Graham Ashcraft got into trouble in the third. Gabriel Moreno opened the inning with a single. He scored on a double by Pavin Smith. Corbin Carroll walked. Ketel Marte beat out an infield hit as Ashcraft was late covering on a ground ball to Jeimer Candelario at first base. Christian Walker walked to score Smith.
The Reds tied the game in the fourth. Stephenson singled to open the inning against Montgomery. Espinal forced Stephenson at second. He scored from first on a double by Candelario, his second hit.
The Diamondbacks regained the lead in the sixth. Gurriel and Suarez singled to open the inning against Ashcraft.
David Bell brought in Fernando Cruz. He was coming to his 17th game. Starting the inning, Cruz has inherited 15 runners and stranded 13 of them. One of the two inherited runners scored when Moreno found a hole up the middle to plate Gurriel. Cruz stranded two to end the inning.
Ashcraft (3-2) allowed three earned runs in five plus innings. He gave up six hits, walking three and striking out two. He left with a 3.86 ERA.
Former Reds' slugger hit his third home run of the season. It came against Lucas Sims with two outs. Suarez has now hit 99 home runs at GABP.
"Baseball is hard," Lovullo said of Suarez, who came into the game hitting just .215 with two home runs. "It is hard to be consistent and hit every night. I know Geno (Suarez) had a good work day today. I had a conversation with the hitting coach (Joe Maither) and he told me to expect some barrel awareness. Geno had a good night two hits and his 249th home run."
Montgomery lasted seven innings, giving up two runs on seven hits. He walked two and struck out to improve to 2-2 on the season.
"I'm definitely getting closer," Montgomery said. "After the way it went for the Dodgers I just had to get back out there. It was good to get back out there and have better results. I still have to execute some pitches."
The Red put Kevin Ginkel to the test. Pinch hitter Jake Fraley walked to open the inning. Pinch hitter Mike Ford, who was re-signed by the Reds when they placed Christian Encarnacion-Strand on the injured list. He flied out but Jeimer Candelario singled for his third hit. TJ Friedl lined a single to right to score Fraley and send Candelario to third with one out. Will Benson was announced as the pinch hitter. Lovullo brought in left-hander Joe Mantiply. He struck out Benson. Friedl stole second to put the potential winning run in scoring position. Jonathan India flied out to right to end the game.
"What Joe Mantiply did today was unbelievable," Lovullo said. "In a very uncommon way, he got himself ready in less than a batter. He made pitch after pitch and picked up his teammates."
"I was committed to Kevin at a certain point. I saw that they were maneuvering and they were going to have some left-handed batters. I thought Joe was the best guy."
Mantiply picked up his first save of the season and the first since 2022 when he had two for the Diamondbacks. Mantiply did not pitch in 2017 and 2018. He spent two springs in the Reds' camp.
"I was trying to stay ready. I got hot earlier," Mantiply said. "It didn't take me long. Obviously, I was hoping Gink would work through that. The call came and I had to be ready."
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