Diamondbacks 6, Reds 3

Rubby De La Rosa was staked to a lead before he took the mound, as A.J. Pollock swatted his thirteenth homer of the season, but it was a four-run fourth for the Diamondbacks which really busted this open. It started with another solo home-run, by Yasmany Tomas, with Ender Inciarte adding a sacrifice fly, and then Welington Castillo coming through with a two-run single that clanked off a Reds infielder's glove. Pollock had himself a day, finishing a triple short of the cycle with four hits, scoring three times and stealing two bases. Castillo, Chris Owings and even De La Rosa himself also enjoyed two-hit nights.

But it was mostly Rubby's pitching which deserved praise, and he went seven strong, allowing two runs on seven hits and a walk, with six strikeouts. Things did get a little nervous after he left the game, as Keith Hessler allowed a home-run to the only batter faced, making it 5-3, and this was immediately followed by a bunt single off Addison Reed to bring the tying run to the plate. But further damage was escaped, and an Aaron Hill sacrifice fly gave Arizona a welcome, if not perhaps essential insurance run. Brad Ziegler came on for the ninth, and we find ourselves one game below .500 again.