CINCINNATI — Slade Cecconi pitched 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball, Corbin Carroll drove in the game-winning run with an eighth-inning single and the Arizona Diamondbacks hung on to beat Cincinnati 5-4 on Thursday, capping a series sweep and extending the Reds' losing skid to eight games.
Joc Pederson homered in the first inning for Arizona, which won its fourth straight. Five different players drove in runs.
“Just day by day, quality at bats,” shortstop Kevin Newman said. “The offense is starting to go a little better. Handing the at-bat off to the next guy behind you, putting him in a good position to drive a run in, knock a pitcher out, it just seems like we're starting to play how we know we can play. I don't think anybody in this clubhouse thinks we're ever out of it.”
Spencer Steer's two-out single in the seventh inning tied the game for the struggling Reds, but Carroll's two-out hit in the eighth brought home Tucker Barnhart and gave Arizona a lead that stuck.
“When I needed them to step on the gas in the eighth inning, they gave a little bit extra,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said.
Diamondbacks closer Paul Sewald struck out Will Benson and Tyler Stephenson and got TJ Friedl on a ground ball in the ninth to pick up his first save.
Cecconi (2-2) went 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run and three hits while striking out two. Kevin Ginkel (2-0) pitched a scoreless inning to get the win.
Reds starter Hunter Greene had his streak of 15 1/3 scoreless innings snapped on Pederson's homer.
Greene allowed three runs and four hits through five innings, striking out six and walking five. Fernando Cruz (1-3) pitched the eighth and took the loss.
“It was a sluggish day," Greene said. “I was just trying to grind through it and keep the team in the game.”
Jeimer Candelario hit his fourth home run for the Reds, and Elly De La Cruz stole two bases to push his major-league leading total to 23.
Cincinnati lost for the 11th time in 13 games and were also swept at home by the Baltimore Orioles last weekend. They haven't scored more than four runs in a game during the losing streak, slipping a season-high five games under .500 (16-21) with a long road trip ahead.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Diamondbacks: Starting center fielder Alek Thomas (left hamstring) was pulled from his rehab for further medical examination.
Reds: RHP Ian Gibaut had anterior interosseous nerve-release surgery on his right arm on Thursday. He was shut down in April with lingering forearm issues.
UP NEXT
Diamondbacks: Right-hander Brandon Pfaadt (1-2, 4.61) is scheduled to take the mound against Orioles lefty Cole Irvin (3-1, 2.86) to open a three-game set on Friday night.
Reds: Lefty Andrew Abbott (1-4, 3.32 ERA) takes the mound against the Giants on Friday night in the first of a 10-game road trip out West. Right-hander Logan Webb (3-3, 3.50) is the scheduled starter for San Francisco.
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