Reds 11, Giants 0
Shin-Soo Choo hit one of three solo home runs off Tim Lincecum as visiting Cincinnati routed San Francisco in the opener of the four-game series.
Devin Mesoraco and Jay Bruce also homered off Lincecum (5-10), who allowed eight runs on nine hits over 3 2/3 innings in his first start since throwing a no-hitter on July 13. Todd Frazier began the Reds’ big night with a two-out, three-run double in the first.
Derrick Robinson had three hits and scored three runs for Cincinnati, which scored at least once in each of the first seven innings. Bronson Arroyo (9-7) threw his 15th career complete game and sixth shutout as he recorded his 100th win with the Reds.
Mesoraco’s RBI single in the fifth extended the lead to 9-0, and Cincinnati added single runs in the next two innings on Bruce’s sacrifice fly and Xavier Paul’s double. Mesoraco went 3-for-5 with two RBIs for the Reds, who finished with 17 hits in the opener of their 11-day, 12-game road trip.
Arroyo, who allowed seven hits and struck out six without issuing a walk, has yielded fewer than three runs in each of his last 10 starts against the Giants.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cincinnati improved to 9-0 in Arroyo’s starts following a Reds loss. … Reds LHP Tony Cingrani will face Giants LHP Eric Surkamp in the first game of Tuesday’s doubleheader. Cincinnati RHP Greg Reynolds will make his season debut against San Francisco LHP Barry Zito in the nightcap. … RHP George Kontos yielded three runs over 3 1/3 innings of relief for the
fourth-place Giants, who fell six games behind the National League West-leading Los
Angeles Dodgers.