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BOX SCORE
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GAME LOG
CINCINNATI (AP) -- As much as they try to win games with singles
and such, the Arizona Diamondbacks keep coming back to the home
run.
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| Grace |
Mark Grace and Reggie Sanders hit consecutive homers off Mark
Wohlers in the eighth inning Tuesday night, powering the
homer-reliant Diamondbacks to a 5-1 victory over the Cincinnati
Reds.
Grace's two-run homer snapped a 1-all tie, and Sanders' high,
arching shot off Wohlers (1-1) extended his three-game surge and
the Reds' deepening slump.
The Diamondbacks have seven homers in the last three games,
accounting for 14 of their 16 runs.
"In the last 10 days or so, we haven't done a very good job
early in games," said Grace, whose eighth-inning grand slam on
Sunday set up a 6-1 win over Philadelphia. "We're relying on the
home run, but we need to play some small ball early in the game to
give our pitchers some breathing room."
For now, they're letting Sanders and big swingers carry them.
Sanders has four of the Diamondbacks' seven homers in the last
three games -- three two-run shots and the solo homer off Wohlers,
who dominated him as Atlanta's closer in the 1990s.
"You can throw the ball 150 mph, and if you put it in the wrong
place, they're going to hit it," said Wohlers, who was throwing 97
mph. "I thought I had good stuff, but I didn't have good
location."
Sanders was only 1-for-13 career off Wohlers with seven
strikeouts before the homer, his 12th of the season. Sanders also
had an RBI single in the ninth off John Riedling, making an
impressive return to the city where he has spent most of his
career.
"I had a lot of anxiety tonight," Sanders said. "I don't know
why. It was probably just being back here and knowing I was part of
this organization. It's hard to explain. That's just how it is.
Even when I was with the Braves and the Padres, I felt the same
anxiety."
Reliever Erik Sabel (2-0) gave up one hit in one inning, and
Byung-Hyun Kim pitched the last two for his first save.
It was another disastrous day at home for the Reds, who lost
third baseman Aaron Boone to a broken hand and fell to 6-14 at
Cinergy Field, the worst home record in the NL.
The Reds have lost 11 of 13 overall, falling four games under
.500 (17-21) for the first time since May 14, 1999.
Less than an hour before the first pitch, the Reds learned that
Boone has a broken bone in the palm of his right hand, which was
hit by a pitch from Houston's Wade Miller on Monday. He had surgery
and will miss three to four weeks.
"It's tough to get knocked out when we're in a little funk,"
said Boone, who was in the clubhouse after the game with his arm in
a sling. "That's just adding to the misery of the last couple
weeks."
Cincinnati already was missing Ken Griffey Jr. to a torn
hamstring, No. 1 starter Pete Harnisch to a tender elbow, and
reliever Scott Williamson to a torn elbow ligament.
Both starters were stingy and both came up empty. Arizona's
Robert Ellis and Cincinnati's Elmer Dessens each allowed one run in
six innings before leaving.
Ellis, filling in for the injured Armando Reynoso, gave up only
four hits, including Kelly Stinnett's leadoff homer in the third.
It was the only homer that Ellis has allowed in 37 1/3 innings.
Dessens struck out a career-high eight batters, including Rod
Barajas three times, and gave up a run in the fourth.
Matt Williams hit a liner that thumped off the padding atop the
wall in right field and darted to right fielder Alex Ochoa, whose
strong throw held Williams to a single. Grace doubled and slumping
Tony Womack hit a soft grounder past first baseman Sean Casey for a
tying single, his first RBI since April 5.
Williams doubled to right-center off Wohlers in the eighth, and
Grace followed with his homer for a 3-1 lead. Wohlers faced four
batters and gave up four hits.
Womack had three singles and stole three bases. Luis Gonzalez
singled in five at-bats, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.
Game notes
Arizona C Damian Miller was a late scratch from the
starting lineup because of a stiff lower back. ... Womack's RBI
single broke his 0-for-14 slump with runners in scoring position.
... Williams has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games. ...
Stinnett's homer extended the Reds' NL-record streak to 201
consecutive games with at least one run. ... The Reds plan to call
up 3B Brandon Larson, hitting .248 at Triple-A Louisville, to
replace Aaron Boone. ... Deion Sanders (.212) was out of the lineup
for a fourth consecutive game since his outfield misplay led to a
loss. He pinch-hit in the sixth, drew a walk and was thrown out
trying to steal second.
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RECAPS
Baltimore 11
Detroit 3
Kansas City 6
Tampa Bay 2
Boston 5
Minnesota 2
Cleveland 8
Texas 6
Toronto 9
Anaheim 3
Oakland 3
NY Yankees 2
Seattle 4
Chi. White Sox 3
Arizona 5
Cincinnati 1
San Francisco 7
Florida 4
Montreal 2
Los Angeles 0
Milwaukee 14
Philadelphia 10
St. Louis 8
Pittsburgh 3
NY Mets 1
San Diego 0
Atlanta 5
Colorado 3
Houston 9
Chicago Cubs 7
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