Grit Index: Force lies with Latos, Reds in 4-2 win over D-backs

The force was not with the Arizona Diamondbacks Sunday.

Darth Baker and the Reds avoided a three-game sweep, ending Gibby Wan Kenobi and the D-backs’ four-game winning streak with a 4-2 victory in front of 30,723 on “Star Wars Day” at Chase Field.

Cincinnati starter Mat Latos tied his career-high with 13 strikeouts, including six straight at one point. He carried a shutout into the 8th inning before Miguel Montero’s two-out RBI single to score Gerardo Parra, who had doubled three batters earlier.

The D-backs remain the majors lone team to have not been shutout through 75 games, a single-season franchise record and tied for the eighth-longest single-season streak since 1998.

Randall Delgado, making his second start since replacing the injured Brandon McCarthy in the rotation, allowed four runs, including a leadoff home run to Shin-Soo Choo and a two-run home run to Brandon Phillips, in the first two frames before settling down to pitch five innings. He will likely, according to manager Kirk Gibson, make his next start Friday in Atlanta.

Despite the loss, the D-backs maintain a three-game lead in the NL West.

The Good:

Parra went 2-for-4; he has hit safely in 11 straight home games (.366, 15-for-41) and in 16 of his last 17 games (.353, 24-for-68) overall.

The Bad

Diamondbacks starters have not recorded a win (0-6) in their last 16 starts since June 5 when Wade Miley beat the Cardinals in St. Louis, 10-3.

Stat of the Game:

9: Number of career starts at third base for Cliff Pennington, who had not started a game at third since 2008, when he made eight starts his rookie season

Noted:

• Aaron Hill (9-for-24 in six rehab games with Triple-A Reno) will rejoin the team Tuesday

• J.J. Putz will pitch back-to-back games Monday and Tuesday with Reno

• Eric Chavez will begin a rehab assignment with Reno on Monday

He Said It, Part 1:

“He was really good,” Paul Goldschmidt said of Latos. “He’s been good all year; his whole career really. He did a good job, went right after us.”

He Said It, Part 2:

“Sometimes you’ve got to tip your cap to the guy on the other side,” Gibson said. “That’s a good team as well. They got us today.”

What’s Next:

The Diamondbacks left immediately after the game for our nation’s capital, where they will begin a three-game series against the Washington Nationals Tuesday.

Trevor Cahill (3-8, 3.92) will pitch the opener. In his last start, he worked a scoreless first inning but was hit by a line drive by Marcell Ozuna and was removed in the second with a right hip contusion. Gio Gonzalez (3-3, 3.34) gets the ball for the Nationals, who have lost two in a row.
First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 with pregame coverage beginning at 3:35 on Arizona Sports 620.

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