CINCINNATI – With a little help from a crucial Braves defensive miscue, Reds reserve catcher Ryan Hanigan helped his club beat the NL East leaders for the first time this season.
Hanigan’s seventh-inning double coupled with Atlanta center fielder Melky Cabrera’s odd throwing error allowed three runs to score on the play as Cincinnati came back to beat the Braves 5-2 Saturday.
The Reds (58-47) had been stymied by Atlanta starter Jair Jurrjens most of the afternoon, trailing 2-1 entering the seventh inning. But Cincinnati changed all that when Scott Rolen doubled, Jonny Gomes singled and Jay Bruce singled to right to score Rolen and tie the game with one out.One out later, Hanigan took Jurrjens’ offering to the center-field wall. Cabrera retreated to field it, but his throw slipped out of his hand and meekly shot sideways toward right field, allowing the merry-go-round on the bases to continue. Gomes and Bruce scored ahead of Hanigan, who came all the way around and slid home to give Cincinnati a 5-2 lead.
Reds closer Francisco Cordero, fresh off taking the loss in Atlanta’s series-opening win Friday, took the mound to boos and pitched himself into trouble in the ninth, allowing two runners to bring Braves rookie Jason Heyward – who victimized Cordero with the winning two-run 10th-inning double Friday – to the plate as the potential tying run with two out.
But Cordero struck out Heyward looking, turning the boos into cheers and evening the NL contenders’ weekend series. The rubber match is Sunday.
Atlanta (59-44) jumped on Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (11-6) early, taking a two-run first-inning lead. Omar Infante led off the game with a double and came home when Hanigan fielded Heyward’s topper and threw the ball away into right field. Eric Hinske then drew a bases-loaded walk to force in Heyward.
But Arroyo shut down the Braves after that, and Rolen cut the Reds’ deficit in half in the fourth with a two-out solo shot to left.
Rolen led the Reds with a 2-for-3 performance. Arroyo allowed two runs and four hits over seven innings, with three walks and three strikeouts, to earn the win. Cordero produced his 28th save.
Jurrjens (3-4) gave up five runs on eight hits in 6 2-3 frames of work, with six punchouts and no walks. He has yet to win on the road this season.
Brian McCann and Infante each had three of Atlanta’s seven hits.
NOTES: Cincinnati’s win was its 31st comeback victory of the season, second in the majors. … The Reds honored Atlanta manager Bobby Cox, who is retiring from managing after this season, at home plate before the game. … Atlanta discovered Saturday that leadoff hitter Martin Prado broke the second knuckle on his right pinkie sliding into home Friday. He is expected to miss at least a week. … Arroyo is 6-3 all-time against the Braves. … All of Jurrjens’ losses have come in day games. … Early during the game, the Braves completed a deadline deal with Kansas City that brought Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth to Atlanta. Cincinnati did not pull off any blockbuster deals. … The Reds remain a half-game back of St. Louis in second in the NL Central. Atlanta is 3.5 games up on Philadelphia in the East. … Cincinnati’s Edinson Volquez and the Braves’ Tommy Hanson will work Sunday afternoon.
BOX SCORE
Photo above: Cincinnati's Ryan Hanigan (29) slides home after his game-winning double Saturday. (Al Behrman/AP)
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