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Baffled by Bronson

• Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo pitches seven shutout innings as Cincinnati avoids late Atlanta rally to win, 6-4.

Paul Dehner Jr.

ATLANTA — As a torrid comeback came to a shaking peak, Andruw Jones lifted a pitch toward the wall in left field that sent 30,072 Turner Field faithful screaming.

But, just like the final rally for the Atlanta Braves, it came up just short — 15 feet, to be exact.

Having erased all but one run of a 6-0 deficit in the final two innings, Jones’ walk-off attempt with two outs fell into the glove of Cincinnati’s Norris Hopper shy of the warning track to finalize a 6-5 Atlanta defeat Tuesday night against the Reds.

The high fly ball, struck slightly south of the bat barrel, came one inning after Jones launched his 18th home run of the season along the same line.

“I can usually tell from the side view when he gets it,” said Chipper Jones, who stood on first base for both of the shots, the second after collecting an RBI single that pulled Atlanta within one. “I knew he got the first one, I didn’t think he got the second one. I was just hoping a mosquito fell in the left fielder’s eye or something. That’s about the only way it was going to turn out any good for us.”

But when the insects steered clear, a second consecutive loss to Cincinnati (39-55), which entered with the worst record in the National League, was ensured for Atlanta (50-44).

In retrospect, though, it was more properly wrapped up the moment Reds pitcher Bronson Arroyo took the mound.

Setting the tone in the first inning, the Cincinnati starter struck out the side and only slowed later when pulling back on crawling changeups and curves en route to seven shutout innings.

Atlanta’s Kelly Johnson could only utter a laugh before analyzing Arroyo’s success.

“He throws off-speed,” Johnson said. “That’s what he throws. It was just tough for us to stay back on him, I guess.”

The change of pace came from all angles and speeds, eventually leaving the Braves baffled as to how the lanky veteran’s soft tosses developed into just three hits and nine strikeouts.

“He’s a comfortable at-bat, but he is one of those guys that, you are comfortable for four at-bats and wondering at the end of the night how you are 0-for-4,” Chipper Jones said. “That’s what makes it so frustrating. You feel like you can get pitches to hit, but he changes speeds so well and he changes arm angles and he keeps you off balance.

“That’s a guy who knows how to pitch.”

In the second start of his career and first appearance at Turner Field, Atlanta’s Jo-Jo Reyes deserved the same assessment.

Coming off a rough professional debut where he allowed five runs in three innings against San Diego last week, Reyes left to a standing ovation having allowed four runs on eight hits through 6 1/3 innings.

“I felt a lot more comfortable on the mound,” said Reyes, who began the game with 4 1/3 scoreless. “Just being used to my surroundings.”

The night for Reyes — along with the rest of the team — was defined by three decisive two-out Cincinnati hits.

The first came in the fifth inning when Jeff Keppinger slipped a pitch past Chipper Jones and into the left-field corner for a two-out, two-RBI double.

Reyes was lifted after allowing the first two batters to reach in the seventh. Moylan then took over and got two outs before Ken Griffey Jr. roped a two-RBI single just past the outstretched glove of Jarrod Saltalamacchia at first.

Griffey Jr. promptly stole second and Phillips contributed with a two-out, two-RBI single of his own to give the Reds a 6-0 lead.

But once Arroyo left, the Braves’ offense arrived.

After two quick outs in the eighth, Atlanta rallied as Andruw Jones hit his shot high into the left field bleachers.

Once Brian McCann singled and Jeff Francoeur walked, that set up Johnson. The second baseman lined a two-RBI triple just outside the diving grasp of Ryan Freel and pulled Atlanta within two. It was his seventh of the year.

The rally spilled over into the ninth where the final attempt at heroics fell feet short.

Cincinnati will attempt a sweep in the final game of a three-game set today at 1:05 p.m.

John Smoltz (9-5, 3.07) will make his return from the disabled list against Reds ace Aaron Harang (10-2, 3.70).

NOTES

Arroyo also had nine strikeouts on April 4 against the Chicago Cubs. ... Reyes had no strikeouts and has only one in his first two starts. ... Phillips was picked off second base in the fourth inning. ... Keppinger made his major league debut with the New York Mets in 2004. ... Griffey is one hit away from 2,500.

AP sports writer Charles Odum Contributed to this report.

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