Matt Reynolds could have hit for the cycle. He just hit the ball too far.
The Diamondbacks’ rookie came up in the eighth inning Friday night needing a double to complete the cycle. His shot to right field had a little too much behind it, however, clearing the wall for his second homer of the game and Arizona routed the struggling Houston Astros 13-3.
Reynolds, who 10 days ago was an obscure Double-A infielder, went 5-for-5 two home runs, a triple and four RBIs.
“I mean, I was trying to hit a double,” Reynolds said with a chuckle. “I’ll take a fence-scraper any day. I’m just glad I didn’t strike out.”
Reynolds is batting .459 (17-for-37) with eight extra-base hits and 11 RBIs in his first 10 big league games.
“It’s unbelievable,” Reynolds said. “It’s been a great ride so far.”
Reynolds was promoted after Chad Tracy, the Diamondbacks’ regular third baseman, went on the disabled list with a rib cage injury. Brian Barden, the third baseman at Triple-A Tucson, also was hurt, opening the door for Reynolds.
Manager Bob Melvin looked smart for batting Reynolds in the cleanup spot for the first time on Friday night.
“It wasn’t much of a move,” Melvin said. “It was easy to do. He’s just going about his business. I don’t think he knows where he’s hitting in the lineup to tell you the truth.”
For the record, Melvin said Reynolds will be back in the No. 4 hole for his 11th major league game.
In other NL games, it was: New York 6, Florida 2; Pittsburgh 10, Cincinnati 4, 10 innings; Philadelphia 8, Atlanta 3; Washington 5, St. Louis 4; San Diego 8, Milwaukee 6; Colorado 5, San Francisco 3; and Los Angeles 9, Chicago 8.
Carlos Quentin had two doubles and three RBIs for host Arizona, which matched its season high with 17 hits and has outscored Houston 22-4 in the first two games of the four-game series.
Edgar Gonzalez (2-2), who was demoted to the Diamondbacks’ bullpen last month, allowed one run and four hits in five innings. He took Randy Johnson’s turn in the rotation after the Big Unit was hampered by forearm tendinitis.
Woody Williams (1-7) allowed four runs and five hits in five innings as visiting Houston lost its sixth straight. He struck out three and walked two.
“It certainly was their night,” Houston manager Phil Garner said. “Everything we threw, they hit.”
Mets 6, Marlins 2
Pinch-runner Carlos Gomez scored the go-ahead run on an error in the ninth inning, and Carlos Beltran’s two-run double broke the game open for visiting New York.
The Mets’ Orlando Hernandez, making his first start since April 24, allowed two hits and walked none in six shutout innings. Aaron Heilman (5-2) gave up one run in the eighth and got the win.
Florida starter Sergio Mitre gave up one unearned run in 7 2-3 innings. Renyel Pinto (0-2) took the loss, allowing four runs in the ninth without retiring a batter.
Pirates 10, Reds 4, 10 innings
At Cincinnati, Ronny Paulino’s double with the bases loaded highlighted Pittsburgh’s biggest rally in nearly three years, an eight-run splurge in the 10th inning.
The Pirates snapped a five-game losing streak, overcoming Ken Griffey Jr.’s 574th career homer by sending 12 batters to the plate in the 10th. Jonah Bayliss (4-2) retired the two batters he faced in the ninth to get the win.
Chris Duffy’s sacrifice fly off closer David Weathers (1-3) snapped a 2-all tie.
Cincinnati has lost 18 of 22, leaving the Reds with the major leagues’ worst record at 18-31.
Phillies 8, Braves 3
Greg Dobbs snapped a tie with a two-run single in the seventh inning and Ryan Howard padded the lead with a two-run double in the eighth as Jamie Moyer beat host Atlanta for the first time in 20 years.
Moyer (5-3) earned the win 20 years and two days after the only other time he beat the Braves. On May 23, 1987, Moyer earned the win in relief as the Cubs beat the Braves in Chicago.
Atlanta’s Tim Hudson (5-3) gave up 10 hits and five runs in 6 2-3 innings.
Nationals 5, Cardinals 4
Brian Schneider homered and Micah Bowie won as a starter for the first time in more than seven years as visiting Washington won its fourth straight.
Bowie (1-2) gave up two runs and four hits in five innings and the Nationals ended the Cardinals’ three-game winning streak. St. Louis lost despite home runs from Albert Pujols and Jim Edmonds.
Anthony Reyes (0-8) has lost 10 straight regular-season decisions, last winning Sept. 3, 2006, against the Pirates.
Padres 8, Brewers 6
Rookie Kevin Kouzmanoff’s grand slam carried Greg Maddux and host San Diego to the wild win.
Kouzmanoff’s slam, to left-center on the first pitch from Dave Bush (3-5), gave the Padres a 7-0 lead with two outs in the fifth.
Prince Fielder and J.J. Hardy both homered for Milwaukee, which has lost three straight and nine of 12. The two are tied for the NL lead with 15 homers apiece.
Maddux (4-3) has won four straight at home since losing the opener against Colorado on April 6.
Dodgers 9, Cubs 8
Juan Pierre hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the go-ahead run in a four-run eighth inning as Los Angeles rallied past visiting Chicago.
Jeff Kent homered and drove in four runs for the Dodgers, who blew a 5-0 lead before their late rally.
Rudy Seanez (1-0) struck out two in 1 1-3 scoreless innings to get the win and Takashi Saito pitched a perfect ninth for his 15th save.
Cubs reliever Will Ohman (0-2) failed to record an out, allowing one run and one hit to pick up the loss.
Rockies 5, Giants 3
At San Francisco, Kaz Matsui singled in the go-ahead run in the ninth inning and Colorado won its third straight.
Pinch-hitter Steve Finley’s one-out infield single against Giants closer Armando Benitez (0-2) started the winning rally. He advanced to second on Kevin Frandsen’s throwing error and scored on Matsui’s single.
Jeremy Affeldt (2-1) pitched the eighth for the win and Brian Fuentes got three outs for his 14th save.
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