Cincinnati, OH – Troy Tulowitzki came through with the go- ahead two-run home run in the eighth inning, helping the Colorado Rockies edge the Cincinnati Reds, 5-4, in the middle edition of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.
Jonathan Herrera contributed three hits and two RBI, while Dexter Fowler added a run-scoring hit for the Rockies, who snapped a six-game losing streak against the Reds dating back to last season.
"A big-time home run by a big-time player," Colorado manager Walt Weiss said of Tulowitzki. "It doesn't get any more clutch than that."
Josh Outman (2-0) recorded the final two outs in the seventh to snag the win, while Rex Brothers shut the door in the ninth for his second save.
Ryan Hanigan drove in two runs and Todd Frazier went 2-for-4 -- his fourth straight two-hit game -- with one RBI and two runs scored for the Reds.
Homer Bailey bounced back from his worst outing of the year, surrendering three runs on six hits with seven strikeouts over seven frames.
He was primed for the win until Sam LeCure (1-1) dished a full-count, belt- high fastball that Tulowitzki slammed to left center following a walk to Carlos Gonzalez.
"Today just wasn't my day," LeCure said. "I've been throwing the ball well, and people kept reminding me of that, and I kept saying, 'Someday, it's going to end.' It didn't have to be today."
The Rockies got to Bailey early by putting three runs on the board in the second.
Michael Cuddyer led off the inning with a single, extending his hitting streak to eight games. Two batters later, Yorvit Torrealba connected on a ground-rule double to put runners on second and third with one out. Herrera hit a sharp double down the first base line to give the Rockies a 2-0 lead.
Fowler singled home Herrera to increase the lead to three.
The Reds responded with a Frazier double to start the home half of the second, followed by a groundout to move the runner to third. Hanigan grounded out to short to salvage a run and cut the deficit to 3-1.
In the fourth, Frazier hit a bullet off the glove of diving third baseman DJ LeMahieu for an RBI double, which allowed Joey Votto to come around from first. Hanigan tied the game up later in the frame with a double to left that drove in Frazier, who advanced to third on a wild pitch.
With the game knotted up at three apiece in the seventh and runners on the corners with one out, Rockies reliever Edgmer Escalona was charged with a balk that forced in a run to give the Reds a 4-3 lead.
Rockies starter Juan Nicasio hurled six solid innings, allowing three runs on five hits while walking two with three strikeouts.
Game Notes
Tulowitzki leads all shortstops with 13 home runs ... The Reds are 21-8 at Great American Ball Park ... Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips has missed the last three games with a left forearm contusion ... The Reds were 2-for-13 with RISP ... LeCure ended his 10 1/3 scoreless inning streak in the eighth ...Reds pitchers have had five straight quality starts.
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