Kevin Newman’s two-run single in the 9th gives Diamondbacks 6-5 victory over Reds

PHOENIX — Kevin Newman’s two-run single in the bottom of the ninth inning capped a four-hit night and gave the Arizona Diamondbacks a 6-5 victory over the reeling Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.

Newman had a pair of doubles and a single before reaching base in the ninth against Alexis Diaz (1-2), who loaded the bases with a batter hit and two walks. Newman lined the field to shallow right to score Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Gabriel Moreno.

“I lucked out on that, put him in a good position and scored two runs,” said Newman, who got the chance to play this season due to injuries to shortstop Geraldo Perdomo and prospect Jordan Lawlar.

His approach, he said, is “just working to stay in the middle, to stay a little better on those off-speed pitches.”

Justin Martinez (1-0), Arizona’s fifth pitcher of the game, earned his first major league win with a scoreless ninth.

The Reds have lost 11 of their last 12 games, including a three-game sweep of the Diamondbacks in Cincinnati last week.

“We came back and put ourselves in a good position to win the game,” Reds coach David Bell said. “Alexis has been so good to us on so many occasions. These games will happen.

Cincinnati scored twice in the eighth to take the lead. Jeimer Candelario singled to center on a play that was originally ruled a catch and a double play. But replay showed that Arizona’s Corbin Carroll trapped the ball, allowing Spencer Steer to score the tying run from second instead of being doubled.

Mike Ford followed with a triple that bounced off right fielder Jake McCarthy and easily scored Candelario.

Former Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez put Arizona ahead 4–3 in the seventh with a two-out RBI single against Fernando Cruz, who escaped further damage.

Moreno and Joc Pederson were honored by Arizona, which returned from a six-game trip. The Diamondbacks chased Reds starter Graham Ashcraft after four innings but were unable to get two outs until Suarez did so in the seventh. Arizona stranded 14 runners in the game.

Moreno’s home run was his first of the season. He struck out seven last year, but added four more in Arizona’s postseason run to the World Series.

Jordan Montgomery was sixth for the Diamondbacks. He gave up six hits, walked three and struck out seven.

Pederson and Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo were ejected in the eighth inning by umpire Mark Carlson. Pederson was called up to bat with two on and one out.

“I didn’t agree with one of the pitches, I turned the bat over and he threw me out,” Pederson said. “I didn’t know this was illegal. I think I learned something new.

As for Lovullo, who jumped to defend his DH, he had some well-chosen words that earned him his first ejection of the season and the 18th of his career.

“I was fighting my own frustration,” he said. “Mark is a great referee.”

Ketel Marte’s first inning extended his hitting streak to 14 games.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: OF TJ Friedl (fractured left thumb) was placed on the injured list and will be out 4-5 weeks, manager David Bell said before the game. Friedl was hit by a pitch in Sunday’s game in San Francisco. OF Jacob Hurtubise was called up from Triple-A Louisville and made his major league debut on Monday night, running for Ford in the eighth.

Diamondbacks: OF Alek Thomas (left hamstring) received a platelet-rich plasma injection on Monday after experiencing swelling following his rehab assignment. Thomas is limited to four games this season.

NEXT

Cincinnati starts RHP Hunter Greene (1-2, 3.38) against Arizona’s Slade Cecconi (1-2, 4.15) on Tuesday.

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