Cincinnati Reds left fielder Blake Dunn dropped a fly ball with two outs in the ninth that scored the go-ahead run and the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks went on to a 5-2 win in the opener of the three-game series on Friday evening.
Geraldo Perdomo came up with runners on first and second against Cincinnati reliever Brock Burke (2-3) and hit a sinking liner to Dunn in left that he misplayed for an error, scoring Gabriel Moreno for a 3-2 lead.
Jordan Lawlar followed with a two-run single to make it 5-2.
Lawlar had two hits and also scored a run for Arizona, which was shut out in its previous two games.
Arizona starter Eduardo Rodriguez lasted just 2 2/3 innings after needing 40 pitches just to get through the first inning. The left-hander allowed two runs (one earned) and two hits, walking five and striking out three in his shortest outing of the season.
Five relievers combined to blank the Reds over the final 6 1/3 innings with Kevin Ginkel (2-2) earning the win and Paul Sewald got his 16th save.
Noelvi Marte homered for the Reds, who have lost seven of eight.
Cincinnati left-hander Nick Lodolo allowed two runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He struck out five and walked one.
Rodriguez walked the bases loaded in the first, but managed to get through the inning unscathed. That wasn’t the case in the second, when he served up a lead-off home run to Marte to give Cincinnati a 1-0 lead.
After the Diamondbacks left a runner in scoring position in each of the first two innings, they put their first two runners on base in the third on a lead-off double by Ketel Marte and a walk to Corbin Carroll.
Both runners moved up on a groundout before Nolan Arenado drove in Marte with a sacrifice fly to tie it 1-1.
Rodriguez walked his fifth batter with one out in the third and Eugenio Suarez followed with a single to center. Lawlar tried to throw out Spencer Steer going from first to third from center field, but his throw went into the dugout, allowing Steer to score for a 2-1 lead.
Lawlar was hit by a pitch with one out in the sixth and then stole the third base of the game for the Diamondbacks. LuJames Groover then grounded a single to center to score Lawlar and tie the game, 2-2, ending the night for Lodolo.
–Field Level Media
