Dunn's monster three-run blast powers Reds over Indians
Posted: Sat May 17 7:16 PM
Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Adam Dunn's three-run game-ending home run off Masa Kobayashi awoke the Cincinnati offense from a game-long slumber and lifted the Reds to a 4-2 win over the Cleveland Indians at Great American Ball Park.
Trailing 2-1, Joey Votto started the ninth with a single, and after Edwin Encarnacion was hit by a pitch, Dunn unloaded with a monstrous, 449-foot blast to right off Kobayashi (2-1) that gave the Reds their fifth straight win.
Brandon Phillips went 2-for-4 and drove in the other run for the Reds, while Jerry Hairston, Votto and Encarnacion had a hit and a run scored each. Bill Bray (1-0) worked a scoreless inning in relief to earn the win behind Aaron Harang, who allowed a run on eight hits in seven frames.
The loss wasted a brilliant start by Fausto Carmona, who allowed a run on four hits over 7 1/3 innings for the Indians, who have dropped the first two of this series after a three-game win streak. Ben Francisco went 3-for-4 with a solo home run and a pair of runs scored, while Ryan Garko went 2-for-4 and knocked in a run.
The Indians jumped in front in the top of the second when Francisco lined a one-out single to left and came in to score when Garko blasted a double to deep left-center.
After Phillips picked up a two-out single in the first, Carmona set down 10 straight before Encarnacion started the fifth with a single to left. Groundouts by Dunn and Paul Bako moved Encarnacion to third, but he was stranded there when Harang struck out to end the inning.
The Reds finally solved Carmona in the sixth, as Hairston lined a one-out double to left, advanced to third on a wild pitch, and scored the tying run one out later when Phillips laced a single up the middle.
The teams stayed tied until David Weathers came on for Harang in the top of the eighth, as Francisco moved the Indians back in front by crushing a one-out line drive well over the wall in left for his first homer of the season. Garko followed with a single, but Asdrubal Cabrera grounded to short to start a rally-killing double play.
Carmona retired Corey Patterson to start the eighth, but after hitting Hairston with an errant sinker, Rafael Perez came on in relief. Perez struck out Ken Griffey Jr., and Kobayashi got Phillips to fly out to center. Game Notes
It was Dunn's seventh career walk-off homer...The Reds were just 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position, but the Indians fared even worse, going 0- for-9...Sunday's series finale features two of the most dominant pitchers in the big leagues this year as the Indians send Cliff Lee (6-0) against Cincinnati's Edinson Volquez (6-1)...Before the game, the Indians optioned pitcher Jeremy Sowers to Triple-A Buffalo and called up infielder Michael Aubrey, who made his major league debut and popped out in his only at-bat.