. Two batters later, Murphy sent a slider from Hernandez over the fence in right-center. It was Murphy's eighth homer this season. Murphy also had an RBI double.Jairo Diaz (2-2) picked up the win despite a rocky eighth and Wade Davis threw a 1-2-3 ninth for his 13th save.This game marked the first showdown between starters with the last name ''Gray'' - Sonny for Cincinnati, Jon for Colorado - according to Stats. But neither factored into the decision despite their stellar outings.Still, they showed their true colors as Sonny Gray went even strong innings and allowed just five hits. His nine strikeouts tied a season high.Jon Gray matched his counterpart pitch-for-pitch in going seven innings and scattering four hits. His biggest mistake was a 3-2 fastball in the seventh that Eugenio Suarez lined for his 21st homer of the season. It gave the Reds a 2-1 lead.Both Grays mowed through the lineup through five innings.In the sixth, Jesse Winker hit a one-out liner down the line in left that caromed off the side wall and eluded Dahl for an RBI triple. The Rockies limited the damage as Jon Gray struck out Joey Votto with catcher Tony Wolters then picking off Winker.Colorado tied it in the bottom of the inning on Murphy's run-scoring double. Sonny Gray avoided more trouble by enticing a double play.Jon Gray was aided by some splendid defense, including a barehanded play from Nolan Arenado on Yasiel Puig's slow roller in the fifth.TRAINER'S ROOMReds: LHP Amir Garrett (left lat injury) will go through rehab in Cincinnati as the team embarks on their six-game trip. ''If everything continues to go the way it's going now, it should be right when we get home, hopefully,'' manager David Bell said of Garrett's return. ... LHP Alex Wood (lower back) threw two innings and 51 pitches in a rehab start for Triple-A Louisville on Friday. ... 2B Scooter Gennett was a late scratch with an illness.TRUE COLORSThe last time pitchers started against each other with the same color as a last name - and same spelling - was Jumbo Brown of the New York Yankees versus Lloyd Brown of Boston on July 26, 1933, according to Stats.MOVESThe Reds reinstated LHP Wandy Peralta from the injured list after healing from a strained right hip flexor.FIELD DAYThe Reds went through infield and outfield drills hours before first pitch. It was a way to get the team back in rhythm after the break.''It was actually a pretty good workout,'' Bell said.UP NEXTColorado lefty Kyle Freeland (2-6, 7.13 ERA) will take the mound Saturday after a month in the minors working on his control. The Rockies are hoping he can return to the form that led to a fourth-place finish in the NL Cy Young voting a year ago. The Reds will throw righty Tanner Roark (5-6, 3.51).---More MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB and https://twitter.com/-Sports)
Reds, Rockies look to keep pace in playoff raceFLMThe Cincinnati Reds and Colorado Rockies overcame slow starts to the season and put themselves in the playoff picture with successful stretches in May and June. They each headed into the All-Star break on down notes, however, and will try to turn things around again when they open a three-game series in Denver on Friday night.The Reds lost eight of their first nine games to open the season. They pulled within two games of .500 with a season-high six-game winning streak last month, but then lost two one-sided games to the Cleveland Indians heading into the break.The 11-1 loss to the Indians on Sunday was Cincinnati's largest margin of defeat this season. The Reds exit the break 4 1/2 games behind the Chicago Cubs for the National League Central lead and 4 1/2 games back of the Philadelphia Phillies for the second wild card from the NL."I know guys will be anxious to get back to playing because two games doesn't take away from what we've been able to do," Reds manager David Bell said after Sunday's loss. "Really, what we've been able to do is give ourselves a chance here going into the second half." The Rockies opened the season 3-12 before an eight-game winning streak from May 26 to June 2 lifted them four games over .500. They remained above that mark until losing six in a row heading into the All-Star break to fall to 44-45."We obviously didn't finish the first half the way we wanted to," Colorado shortstop Trevor Story said. "It's a good time for a break, that's for sure. Kind of get our bearings, come back, start the second half like we know we can play ball." The Rockies are 2 1/2 games back of the second wild card."It's not the end of the season, that's for sure," Story said. "We have been in some much worse spots before, and we are leaning on that (experience). We know what kind of team we have here, so we'll see at the end." Sonny Gray will start on the mound for the Reds. The 29-year-old right-hander has never faced the Rockies in his career.Sonny Gray (5-5, 3.89 ERA) ended the first half on a high note, throwing eight shutout innings in a 3-0 win against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 3. He matched his career high with 12 strikeouts"It was one of those magical performances," said Reds catcher Curt Casali.The Rockies opted to start right-hander Jon Gray in the series opener.The 27-year-old Gray lost to the Arizona Diamondbacks in his last turn, allowing three runs and eight hits over five innings on Saturday.Jon Gray is 4-0 with a 4.37 ERA in four career outings against the Reds and has struggled with Joey Votto (7-for-12), Derek Dietrich (7-for-14) and Yasiel Puig (7-for-17).Cincinnati rookie center fielder Nick Senzel (ankle) is hoping to play after leaving the 11-1 loss to the Indians. He got his spikes caught in the wall while trying to catch a double in the first inning."I think that when we have our early workout when we get to Denver, I'll just go through some things and see how it feels and go from there," Senzel said. "But I expect to be back after the break." Votto and Puig are likely looking forward to playing at Coors Field again.Votto is hitting .363 in 31 games at the stadium with six home runs and 22 RBIs. Puig is hitting .300 with eight home runs and 20 RBIs in 36 games.--Field Level Media
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