Weak-hitting Reds can’t get by Padres

Arroyo pitches well again, leaving game in a 2-2 tie, but run support fails to materialize.

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo works against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, in Cincinnati.

AP photo by Tony Tribble Cincinnati Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo works against the San Diego Padres in the first inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, July 28, 2009, in Cincinnati.

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 2:12 AM Wednesday, July 29, 2009

CINCINNATI — From third through ninth in their batting order, the San Diego Padres were hitting .249, .244, .235, .197, .218, .245 and .185 — averages designed to get a hitting coach exiled to Walla, Walla, Washington.

And yet, when the last pitch was fired, it was the Cincinnati Reds limping like a guy with both kneecaps shattered in a 3-2 loss.

Six straight Reds struck out until Craig Tatum flied to right to end the game and the last 10 Reds made outs.

For his second straight start, starter Bronson Arroyo turned over a 2-2 tie to the bullpen, leaving runners on base for Nick Masset.

This time it wasn't so dramatic. The last time it was 2-2 with the bases loaded and one out when L.A.'s Manny Ramirez hit a first-pitch, pinch-it, grand slam.

This time Masset only gave up a sacrifice fly to Kevin Kouzmanoff, the last run of the game and the winning run.

The Padres, of course, are not the Los Angeles Dodgers. Before Tuesday, they were 4-20 in July and closer Heath Bell hadn't had a save situation since July 18. He pitched a 1-2-3 ninth, striking out Laynce Nix and Jonny Gomes before coaxing the game-ending fly ball from Tatum.

It is easy to dismiss what is happening to the Reds right now as a product of injuries, but Arroyo put it in perspective.

"It is always hard to have a bunch of guys hurt and it is hard to put two or three new guys in the lineup on a steady basis and have everything click," said Arroyo. "Their team is banged up just as much as ours, if not more.

As happens more often than not, the opponents scored on the Reds in the first inning on a triple by Tony Gwynn Jr. and a double by Kouzmanoff, who at one point Tuesday was 11-for-15 (.733) for his career against Arroyo.

The Reds took a 2-1 lead in the second on run-scoring singles by Gomes and Tatum, his first major-league hit.

Adrian Gonzalez tied it, 2-2, in the third with his 27th home run, then Arroyo and San Diego starter Kevin Correia settled into a pitching argument.

The Padres finally forged ahead, 3-2, in the seventh when Arroyo put two runners on with one out and was replaced by Masset, who gave up the game-winning sacrifice fly to Kouzmanoff.

As Arroyo said of his second strong outing with an 'L' attached to it, "It was a good baseball game. 3-2? Correia threw the ball good on their side and I threw the ball good on our side."

After scoring twice in the second, the Reds had only one other legitimate opportunity to score and that came in the sixth when they put two on with two outs. Tatum scored one up the middle and Correia, probably defending himself more than trying to make the catch, snagged it for the third out.

The Reds never put another runner on base.

"He made an unbelievable stab to keep the score tied (2-2) and maybe if we get one there we close them out," said Arroyo. "Top to bottom, we both played good and they just won out.

"I feel really good, even though I got beat in L.A. and I got beat tonight, but both times I threw the ball well and had good stuff and had more strikeouts. But that's the way the game is. Sometimes you end up on the losing end even when you have good stuff."

Apparently Pete Rose didn't think it was so exciting. He sat behind home plate for six innings, then left with the score 2-2.

"We're just not getting if done offensively and we had those six strike out in a row," said manager Dusty Baker. "We're scuffling. Real frustrating. We're shorthanded in the bullpen — didn't have Arthur Rhodes because he had pitched three days in a row."

Baker hoped to get seven innings out of Arroyo, but a leadoff double in the seventh by Gwynn, a sacrifice bunt and walk ended Arrohyo's day.

Kouzmanoff, 11-for-16 against Arroyo, was the batter and Baker didn't take a chance on it being 12-for-17. Masset came in, "Because he's our best sinkerball double play guy," said Baker, but Kouzmanoff got the ball in the air for the sacrifice fly.

"That was it," said Baker. "I didn't want to double-switch anybody out of there. Only had one catcher so I couldn't take Tatum out. Couldn't take Gomes out, my hottest hitter, or Nix."