Cincinnati Reds Team Report

INSIDE PITCH Micah Owings returns to the Chase Field mound Tuesday, this time wearing the gray visitor's uniform of the Cincinnati Reds. Owings was acquired last August 11 in a trade for outfielder Adam Dunn but was unable to pitch because of a sore shoulder. He did make a trip to Arizona with the Reds in September but was unable to pitch, although he pinch-hit and doubled. In addition to pitching (2-3, 5.08 ERA in five starts, Owings is the team's top pinch-hitter. He is hitting .333 with three doubles and a home run. He hit a pinch-hit home run Sunday against the Cardinals with two outs and a full count in the bottom of the ninth to tie the game and send it into the 10th, which the Cardinals won, 8-7. "I'm not thinking much about how I'm facing my former teammates," said Owings. "They know me and I know them, but I just want to go out there and keep getting better and give my team a chance to win." REDS 13, DIAMONDBACKS 5: The Reds scored the most runs, had the most hits (18) and the most extra base hits (eight) of the season, including five hits and four runs scored by CF/leadoff hitter Willy Taveras. RHP Bronson Arroyo gave up five runs, 10 hits and three homers, but lifted his record to 5-2 with a 7.02 ERA.NOTES, QUOTESRHP David Weathers gave up three runs in the eighth inning Friday to the Cardinals, the first runs he has given up this year. He was then used Saturday against the Cardinals and pitched a 1-2-3 inning.BY THE NUMBERS: 20 Number of quality starts by opposing pitchers in the Reds' first 31 games, and the Reds are 10-10 in those quality-start games.QUOTE TO NOTE: "We want to stay away from .500, above it, as much as we can, and we want to keep ourselves in the rear-view mirror of the Cardinals." Manager Dusty Baker.ROSTER REPORTSS Alex Gonzalez took infield and batting practice Monday to test his sore left side and will be examined Tuesday to see if he is ready to return to the lineup.RF Jay Bruce threw out Arizona's Eric Byrnes trying to stretch a single into a double Monday. It was Bruce's sixth assist, tops for an outfielder in the NL.RHP Micah Owings has two pinch-hit home runs in his career that tied a game. The only other pitcher in the last 50 years with two pinch-hit home runs that tied games is Milwaukee's RHP Brooks Kieschnick in 2005 and 2006.C Ramon Hernandez caught RHP Bronson Arroyo Monday, the first time in Arroyo's seven starts that Ryan Hanigan has not caught him. Hernandez played 1B the last four games and Hanigan caught all four.CF Willy Taveras has a 12-game hitting streak and leads the team in runs (24) and stolen bases (eight). MEDICAL WATCH: 1B Joey Votto (flu) did not play May 7-10. SS Alex Gonzalez (strained left oblique) left the May 4 game and did not play May 5-10. 2B Brandon Phillips (flu) did not play May 7-8. He returned to the lineup May 9. 3B Edwin Encarnacion (chip fracture in left wrist) went on the 15-day disabled list April 28. He might miss two to three weeks. ROTATION: RHP Aaron Harang RHP Edinson Volquez RHP Bronson Arroyo RHP Johnny Cueto RHP Micah Owings BULLPEN: RHP Francisco Cordero (closer) RHP David Weathers LHP Arthur Rhodes RHP Jared Burton RHP Mike Lincoln LHP Daniel Ray Herrera RHP Nick Masset CATCHERS: Ramon Hernandez Ryan Hanigan INFIELDERS: 1B Joey Votto 2B Brandon Phillips SS Alex Gonzalez 3B Jerry Hairston Jr. INF Paul Janish INF Adam Rosales INF Laynce Nix OUTFIELDERS: LF Chris Dickerson CF Willy Taveras RF Jay Bruce OF Darnell McDonald