Reds power, defense stymie Giants comeback

CINCINNATI (AP) — Right fielder Aristides Aquino threw out pinch-runner Joey Bart at the plate to end the game, and the Cincinnati Reds held off the San Francisco Giants 3-2 on Saturday behind Kyle Farmer’s early three-run homer.

Cincinnati extended its winning streak to a season-high four despite playing down a man following the suspension of outfielder Tommy Pham.

The strong-armed Aristides saved this one, nailing Bart trying to score the tying run from second on Wilmer Flores’ two-out single in the ninth inning.

With Brandon Drury and Tyler Stephenson on base and two outs in the first, Farmer launched a shot into the left-center seats for his third home run in the last three games, extending his hitting streak to a Reds season-high eight games.

Farmer, who was 4 for 4 with two homers and five RBIs in Cincinnati’s 20-5 win over the Cubs on Thursday, has driven in eight runs while going 6 for 10 during the last three games since missing three with a sore back.

Vladimir Gutierrez picked up his first win of the season in his eighth start. Gutierrez (1-6), who entered with the most losses of any major league pitcher without a win, had runners in scoring position in four of his five innings but allowed only one to cross the plate. He gave up six hits and a walk with four strikeouts.

Tony Santillan, Cincinnati’s fourth reliever, got pinch-hitter Thairo Estrada to ground out with two on to end the eighth. Santillan also pitched the ninth for his third save — and second straight that required four outs.

Major League Baseball suspended Pham on Saturday for three games — retroactive to Friday — and fined him for slapping the Giants’ Joc Pederson during an altercation in the outfield before Friday’s game.

Pederson drove in the Giants’ first run with a double in the third. Evan Longoria made it a one-run game with a sixth-inning homer off reliever Luis Cessa.

San Francisco starter Alex Wood (3-4) settled down after the first, allowing only two more hits and four overall with one walk and six strikeouts in 5 2/3 innings against his former team.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Giants: C Curt Casali was activated from the seven-day concussion list and C Michael Papierski was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento. Casali singled leading off the ninth and was lifted for Bart, a fellow catcher.

Reds: OF Max Shrock (left calf strain) was sent to Triple-A Louisville on a rehab assignment. Shrock has been out all season. … LHP Mike Minor threw 79 pitches over six innings for Triple-A Louisville at Omaha on Friday in his fourth rehab start.

UP NEXT

Giants RHP Alex Cobb (3-2, 6.25 ERA) gave up 10 hits and six runs in six innings during his last start against the Mets on Monday. Reds RHP Tyler Mahle (2-5, 6.32) allowed nine hits and eight runs over four innings last time out Tuesday against the Cubs.