Dateline: Cincinnati
Noelvi Marte hit his second home run of the season to stake the Reds to a 2-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.
"It is just a matter of being aggressive in the strike zone," said Terry Francona of Noelvi Marte, who has been up and down the last three seasons with inconsistencies at the plate. "If he controls the strike zone and swings at the pitches in that rectangle (home plate), there's nothing he can't do. He's strong and athletic."
It was just the third hit of the game for the Reds. Marte's blast allowed Chase Petty to earn his first Major League win, coming on the heals of a loss when he gave up a walkoff home run to Fernando Tatis Jr. in San Diego.
"It was interesting about Petty. We gave him one outing that we weren't going to give him a dirty inning (runners on base). That went by the wayside. He holds runners reall well. He threw the ball really well," Francona said.
Tony Santillan went threw a month of struggles but retired the Diamondbacks in order to finish the game with help of a huge stretch at first base by Spencer Steer.
A ground ball to Edwin Arroyo at short was thrown wide by the rookie but Steer laid out flat and was able to keep his foot on the bag for the second out to nip Gabriel Moreno. Arendow tried Arroyo but that peg was perfect to end the game.
Corbin Carroll, the second batter of the game, hit his 12th home run in the first inning to start the game. It was the third home run, Rhett Lowder allowed in 41 2/3 innings.
The Reds tied the game off Mike Soroka. Matt McLain doubled with two outs and scored on a single by Edwin Arroyo. In the 10 games prior to Saturday, the Reds hit .133 (11-for-83). They left 10 runners on base in Friday's loss to Arizona.
Caleb Ferguson relieved Lowder with two outs in the sixth inning after he struck out Tommy Troy. Ferguson struck out Adrian Del Castillo for the third time in the game.
Loweder finished with 5 2/3 inning, allowing one run on five hits and the significant number two walks. Walks have been much of Lowder's problems this season. He hit a batter and struck out six, on 96 pitches with 62 strikes.
"I think Lowder, having a game under his belt even if it was only three innings, he was able to have a side day and have a work week, helped," Francona said. "To get him out close to 100 pitches, that was really good."
The Diamondbacks loaded the bases with one out in the seventh. Ferguson walked Marte. Carroll hit an infield single. Chase Petty took over for Ferguson. He got up two strikes on Moreno. Then hit him with a pitch. Petty struck out Nolan Arenado and retired Smith on a routine fly to right.
Mike Soroka allowed just two hits and retired the last 13 Reds' batters he faced before turning the game over to Juan Morillo. Marte hit an 0-2 pitch into the left field stands. His second home run in two days. It was only the second home run given up by Morillo and the first in 27 games.
"I thank God to give me strength to stay here," Marte said through interpreter, Tomas Vera. "I'm just taking advantage of their mistakes. I felt that I hit it well. I saw the fly balls early when they hit the ball well. I said that I'm going to run as fast as I could if it didn't go out. Then I saw it leave."
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