Reds 8, Rockies 3
DENVER -- Greg Reynolds gave the Cincinnati Reds a huge lift on Saturday night and left the Colorado Rockies wondering what might have been had he stayed healthy.
Making his third start of the season for Cincinnati, Reynolds pitched a career-high eight innings as the Reds beat the Rockies 8-3 on Saturday night.
The win was the first for Reynolds in the big leagues since July 2, 2011, when he made his last start for the Rockies, who drafted him second overall in 2006.
Colorado's Todd Helton went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts and remained one hit shy of 2,500 in his career.
Brandon Phillips, who went 3-for-5 with two RBIs that gave him a career-high 99 and three runs scored, finished a single shy of the cycle. He had a triple, homer and double in his first three at-bats for the Reds.
Reynolds, who faced the Rockies for the first time in his career, is an unpleasant footnote in their franchise history.
Colorado drafted Reynolds out of Stanford, picking just ahead of Evan Longoria, a third baseman for Tampa Bay, when Rockies' ownership overruled the scouting department. Reynolds' career with them was waylaid by injuries. In parts of the 2008 and 2010 seasons, Reynolds went 5-8 with a 7.47 ERA for the Rockies in 27 games (16 starts).
He left the organization after the 2011 season, pitched at the Triple-A level for Texas last year and signed with the Reds this year. Reynolds, 28, went 12-3 with a 2.42 ERA at Triple-A Louisville.
He started for the Reds in a doubleheader last month and took the spot of injured Tony Cingrani in the rotation last Sunday.
Reynolds, who doubled and scored in the sixth, threw 72 of his 104 pitches for strikes, with no walks and five strikeouts. After giving up a run-scoring double to Jordan Pacheco with two out in the sixth, Reynolds retired eight consecutive batters before pinch-hitter Charlie Culberson singled with one out in the eighth and Corey Dickerson homered into the second deck in right field.
Juan Nicasio lasted 4 1/3 innings for the Rockies and gave up six runs. He left with the bases loaded, and Wilton Lopez promptly allowed the three runners to score by committing a balk and then yielding a two-run single to Ryan Ludwick that put the Reds ahead 6-0.
One of the runners who scored on Ludwick's hit was Phillips, who doubled. Phillips hit his 17th homer in the third, putting the Reds ahead 3-0. He tripled in the first.
The Reds scored two quick runs in the first. Nicasio walked Shin-Soo Choo on four pitches to open the game. Phillips followed with a triple to the gap in left center and scored on Joey Votto's groundout.
Reynolds held the Rockies scoreless until the fifth when Charlie Blackmon singled with two out and dashed home on a double by pinch-hitter Jordan Pacheo.
Double plays helped Reynolds ease out of two early jams. Nolan Arenado grounded into one to end the second with runners on first and second. After shortstop Zack Cosart missed a catch in the third, putting runners on first and second with no outs, Reynolds made a good play to snare Corey Dickerson's hard bouncer and started a double play.
NOTES: Rockies RHP Roy Oswalt will make a rehab start Tuesday at rookie level Grand Junction. He threw 50 pitches Friday in his third simulated game since he strained his left hamstring July 7. ... Rockies RHP Rafael Betancourt, who has a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow, will be examined Wednesday by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla. Andrews is expected to perform Tommy John surgery on Betancourt later in September. ... Rockies CF Dexter Fowler, who twisted his left knee Monday night and hasn't played since, was slightly improved from Friday, manager Walt Weiss said, but still "a couple days away" from returning. ... The Reds will recall INF Henry Rodriguez, RHP Curtis Partch and OF Derrick Robinson from Triple-A Louisville for Sunday's game. ... Reds C Corky Miller (right quad contusion) played two rehab games at Louisville, one as the designated hitter, and is scheduled to be off Saturday before catching Sunday and returning to the Reds on Monday. ... Arroyo's streak of not issuing a walk ended at 29 2/3 innings when he walked Troy Tulowitzki in the first. It was the longest such streak by a Reds pitcher since Danny Graves (32 innings) in 2003. ... The Reds purchased the contract of LHP Zach Duke from Triple-A Louisville, optioned RHP Nick Christiani there and designated RHP Justin Freeman for assignment. Duke went 2-0 with two saves and a 1.30 ERA in 27 games for Louisville. ... The Reds will recall INF Henry Rodriguez, RHP Curtis Partch and OF Derrick Robinson from Louisville on Sunday and on Monday will recall C Corky Miller (right quadriceps) from a rehab assignment, recall INF Neftali Soto and OF Billy Hamilton from Louisville. ... Rockies LF Carlos Gonzalez (right middle finger sprain) is scheduled to rejoin the Rockies on Tuesday or Wednesday. He last played for them on Aug. 4. He is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Colorado Springs this weekend.
