Game Schedule Date: Saturday Jul 31, 2010
 


(Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds try to once again reverse their
standing in the National League's Central Division today when they host the
Atlanta Braves in game two of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.


The Reds entered Friday's opener in first place in the Central, but their 6-4
loss to the Braves while the St. Louis Cardinals were beating Pittsburgh, 1-0,
allowed the Cardinals to reclaim the top spot with a half-game advantage.


Jayson Heyward delivered the game-winning two-run double in the 10th inning as
Atlanta upended Cincinnati.


Brian McCann homered and Chipper Jones added two hits, a run scored and a run
batted in for the Braves, who have won all three meetings between the teams
this season.


Jesse Chavez (3-2) earned the win with a scoreless ninth inning and Billy
Wagner stranded two runners in the 10th to earn his 24th save of the season
for Atlanta, which has won two out of three.


Francisco Cordero (3-4) suffered the loss after giving up the decisive runs on
one hit and a pair of walks over 1 1/3 innings for the Reds, who have lost
three of five.


Veteran right-hander Bronson Arroyo tries to get back on the winning track for
the Reds after dropping two straight decisions in late July.


The Florida native was 10-4 on the season after a 3-2 defeat of Colorado on
July 16, but has since fallen to 10-6 while losing to Washington and Milwaukee
on July 21 and 26, respectively.


In the losses, Arroyo has allowed nine hits and 10 runs in 13 2/3 innings.


The 33-year-old, a 15-game winner in each of the last two seasons, is 4-3 in
10 home starts in 2010 and 5-3 lifetime against the Braves in 12 appearances.


Atlanta goes with righty Jair Jurrjens, who'll aim for his first win of the
season on the road and the first of his career against the Reds.


The 24-year-old from Curacao lost three straight decisions to begin the season
before he was shelved with injury for May and most of June.


He returned to defeat Washington on June 30 and has since taken three in a
row, beating the Nationals, Milwaukee and San Diego while improving his
overall mark to 3-3 and lowering his earned run average from 6.38 to 4.37.


Jurrjens is 0-3 with a 7.88 in five 2010 road outings and 0-2 with a 6.75 ERA
against the Reds in three career matchups.


Atlanta swept a two-game set from the Reds earlier in the year after the Reds
won six of the nine matchups in 2009.