Sep 11, 2006 3 min read

CINCINNATI (AP) – Bronson Arroyo pitched eight solid innings for his third straight win and Brandon Phillips drove in the go-ahead run to help the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-2 on Sunday afternoon. The Reds were trailing 2-0 in the sixth inning when Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Dunn followed Rich Aurilia’s leadoff walk with back-to-back singles off rookie left-hander Shane Youman, who was making his major league debut. Encarnacion scored and Dunn went to second on David Ross’ sacrifice fly, and Phillips greeted reliever Josh Sharpless with a go-ahead single to right.

Arroyo, who recorded his first career shutout with a 3-0 win over San Francisco in his previous start on Tuesday, didn’t allow a hit to the team with which he broke into the majors until Ryan Doumit’s line drive single to right leading off the fifth. Doumit was erased on a double play. The only other baserunner the right-hander allowed through the first five innings was Sanchez, who was hit by a pitch with two outs in the first inning.

Arroyo (13-9) allowed four hits and two runs with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Scott Schoeneweis pitched the ninth for his second save in two opportunities.

Youman (0-1) allowed just two hits and three walks in his first five innings. He left after giving up three runs and five hits with four walks and one strikeout in 5 1-3 innings.

National League batting leader Freddy Sanchez broke up the scoreless tie and Arroyo’s bid for a second straight shutout in the sixth. Sanchez, who went into the game leading the league with a .340 batting average, followed two-out singles by Chris Duffy and Jack Wilson and a wild pitch with a sharp one-hopper up the middle that glanced off the glove of Phillips at second base and into center to give the Pirates a 2-0 lead.

Sanchez was thrown out trying to stretch the hit into a double. His average remained at .340 after going 1-for-3.

The Reds added an insurance run in the seventh on Royce Clayton’s double and Aurilia’s RBI single.

Youman on Sunday became the ninth pitcher to start for the Pirates this season, equaling the number that started at least once for Pittsburgh last season.

NOTES: C Carlos Maldonado’s start for Pittsburgh was his first in the majors. … Phillips stole second in the seventh for his 24th stolen base of the season, the most by any NL second baseman.