Cincinnati, OH – Shin-Soo Choo went 4-for-5 with three runs scored and three RBI, finishing a triple shy of the cycle, as the Cincinnati Reds took the third of a four-game set from the Arizona Diamondbacks with a 10-7 win at the Great American Ball Park.
Devin Mesoraco had two hits and two RBI for Cincinnati, which increased its lead over Arizona in the National League wild card standings to six games with the victory.
Mike Leake (11-5) went six innings, yielding four runs on six hits. Aroldis Chapman picked up his 32nd save and his first six-out save of the season.
Arizona starter Brandon McCarthy (2-8) lasted just 2 1/3 innings after surrendering seven runs on eight hits. Adam Eaton and Gerardo Parra each went yard in the losing effort.
"I couldn't get anything down in the zone for whatever reason," McCarthy said. "I really think mechanically I just got some issues I have to iron out."
Choo led off the bottom of the first and sent the second pitch he saw from McCarthy over the fence in left field for his sixth leadoff homer of the season.
The Reds added to their lead in the second when consecutive two-out singles between shortstop and third base by Mesoraco and Zack Cosart brought Leake to the plate. The Reds' hurler, who entered the contest with just one RBI on the season, delivered a ground-rule double to right, plating Mesoraco. Choo followed with a single up the middle, giving Cincinnati an early 4-0 edge.
The rout continued an inning later. Chris Heisey doubled home Brandon Phillips with one away in the third. Mesoraco followed with a single to center, plating Jay Bruce and Heisey and giving the Reds a 7-0 cushion. McCarthy was relieved in favor of Josh Collmenter, who recorded two quick outs to avoid further damage.
The lead grew to 8-0 when Joey Votto joined the action with an RBI single to center, scoring Choo.
After retiring 13 of the first 14 batters he faced, Leake ran into trouble in the fifth, allowing consecutive singles to Wil Nieves and A.J. Pollock. Leake then fanned Didi Gregorius for the second out, but pinch-hitter Jason Kubel drove in two with a single to right. Eaton then clubbed his third career home run, cutting Arizona's deficit in half.
"It was a tough one being up 8-0 and then it ended up being a stressful game," Leake said. "It stinks but at least we came away with it."
Pinch-hitter Tony Campana sparked another two-out rally for Arizona in the seventh inning when he reached on an infield dribbler to short. Eaton followed with a walk and Martin Prado singled home the Diamondbacks' fifth run. After Paul Goldschmidt walked to put the tying run on first, reliever J.J. Hoover induced an Aaron Hill fly out to left.
Parra's solo home run off Jonathan Broxton in the eighth was initially ruled a double, but an umpire review revealed that the ball did in fact travel over the wall before ricocheting back onto the field. Broxton then walked Nieves, and Reds manager Dusty Baker went to his closer.
Chapman took the hill with no outs and a man on first. Pollock grounded out, but Gregorius walked, bringing pinch-hitter Matt Davidson to the plate with two on. Chapman forced Davidson into a tailor-made double play grounder to short. Cosart fielded the grounder cleanly and flipped to Phillips for the initial out, but Phillips' throw went under Votto's glove at first, and a run came across to make it 8-7. Chapman fanned Eaton to secure Cincinnati's lead.
Todd Frazier and Phillips provided Chapman with insurance runs, each registering an RBI-single in the bottom of the eighth. Chapman then pitched around a walk and a single in the ninth, recording three consecutive outs to end the contest.
Game Notes
Chapman made his first career at-bat in the bottom of the eighth inning, drawing a full count before striking out swinging ... The Reds have won 11 of their last 15 games ... Cincinnati went 7-for-12 with runners in scoring position while Arizona hit just 2-for-9 with RISP ... Hill's 13-game hitting streak came to an end after an 0-for-5 effort ... McCarthy has lost five straight decisions.
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