Reds’ offense struggles again as they lose 2-1 to Nationals in 13

Published 11:50 pm Saturday, April 14, 2012

WASHINGTON (AP) — Jayson Werth’s bases-loaded single off Reds closer Sean Marshall with one out in the bottom of the 13th inning Friday night gave the Washington Nationals their fourth consecutive victory, a 2-1 comeback against the Cincinnati Reds.

After Marshall (0-1) got the first batter of the 13th on a groundout, Danny Espinosa reached with a broken-bat infield single. Ryan Zimmerman and Adam LaRoche then walked. That brought up Werth, who delivered on a 1-2 pitch to end the game after 4 hours, 4 minutes.

The Reds have lost four of five, scoring a total of nine runs in that span.

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Cincinnati finished with only five hits Friday, and the top two batters in the lineup — Drew Stubbs and Wilson Valdez — were a combined 0 for 12 with four strikeouts. Their 4-5 hitters, Scott Rolen and Jay Bruce (who left in the 11th), were 0 for 10 with a walk.

The Reds led 1-0 heading into the eighth, but Xavier Nady tied it with the fifth pinch-hit homer of his career, a solo shot off reliever Bill Bray.

Until then, Reds starter Bronson Arroyo was having an excellent night, allowing three hits over 7 1-3 scoreless innings, plus helping himself with a sacrifice fly that drove in a run to put the visitors ahead in the fifth.