Reds heading home in 'perfect situation'

Jorge L. Ortiz, USA TODAY Sports | USATODAY

SAN FRANCISCO – Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jay Bruce summed it up succinctly: "It's the perfect situation for us."

Indeed, going home ahead 2-0 in the NL Division Series after Sunday's 9-0 trouncing of the San Francisco Giants is all the Reds could have asked for, and more.

They have Homer Bailey, author of a no-hitter in his next-to-last start, waiting to take the ball in Game 3. They figure to have staff ace Johnny Cueto available for Game 4 if necessary. And should Cincinnati happen to blow those two golden chances, Giants nemesis Mat Latos would be ready and waiting for a Game 5, all at Great American Ball Park.

Then again, the way Bronson Arroyo pitched in seven innings of one-hit ball, maybe Latos will have to share the title of Giants slayer.

Arroyo had pitched well in previous outings against San Francisco, posting a 1.94 ERA in eight starts going back to September 2006, but had not beaten the Giants since 2008.

On Sunday he didn't just beat them, he toyed with them.

Arroyo was perfect through the first 4 2/3 innings, gave up a single to Brandon Belt, then retired the next six batters before the Reds iced the game with a five-run eighth.

"To get through the fifth inning without having to pitch from the stretch but one time was really big,'' Arroyo said. "It allows you to get in your groove.''

A night after Latos and the Cincinnati bullpen rescued the club when Cueto had to leave in the first inning with back spasms, Arroyo baffled the Giants with his assortment of sinkers in the mid-to-high 80s and sliders 10 miles slower.

"That's a long night for the guys,'' said Giants manager Bruce Bochy, whose club didn't get its second hit until Pablo Sandoval doubled with two outs in the ninth. "They were trying, but their guy pitched really well. They had a hard time trying to get the good part of the bat on the ball because he was hitting spots and changing speeds so well.''

San Francisco's offense, which averaged five runs a game in the second half of the season, has nine hits and two runs total in the series. After allowing some hard-hit fly balls early on, Arroyo got into a rhythm and at one point got eight of nine batters to ground out.

"I think that was one of the best games he's ever thrown,'' catcher Ryan Hanigan said. "The four run lead helped, and in the first inning having those balls that were a little middle get caught when they were hit hard was huge, and then he settled in and commanded the rest of the game.''

The Reds got a quick run on Ryan Ludwick's leadoff homer off Madison Bumgarner in the second, then took control with a three-run fourth that featured four singles, including one by Hanigan that drove in two runs.

The Reds offense, having feasted on the Giants' best two starters, will be eager to take on the rest of a pitching staff that is fast losing its luster.

Cincinnati's hitters had slumped toward the end of the season, but now have defeated two 16-game winners while pounding out 22 hits. Neither Bumgarner not Cain on Saturday got past the fifth inning.

"Brandon (Phillips) started hitting in this series,'' manager Dusty Baker said. "Ryan Ludwick hadn't had much success off the tough left-hander tonight (1-for-16 in his career). Joey Votto (3-for-7 in the series), once everybody starts hitting it feels like everybody is going to hit.''

On the Giants side, the feeling is exactly the opposite. Their highlight might have been Tim Lincecum throwing two shutout innings in relief. From an offensive standpoint, there was nothing to celebrate.

While San Francisco hitters got good wood on balls that were caught in Saturday's 5-2 loss, such drives were much more rare Sunday, especially after the first inning.

"It's frustrating to go out with a plan, look for a pitch, hit the ball well and not get results,'' second baseman Marco Scutaro said. "That affects the momentum, because every time you try to get your head above water, it gets pushed back down. But in a short series things can change quickly.''

For the Giants' sake, they better. The club doesn't have much time left, and all of it will be in Cincinnati.



