Votto drives in 2 runs, Phillips homers as Reds beat Padres 7-2 for 3rd straight victory

CINCINNATI — Joey Votto drove in a pair of runs with a single and a triple on Friday night, and Bronson Arroyo recovered from his roughest outing of the season, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-2 victory over the San Diego Padres.

The Reds have won three straight since getting embarrassed by the St. Louis Cardinals at home last weekend, dropping games by scores of 13-3 and 15-2.

Arroyo (10-9) took the loss in that first game against the Cardinals, giving up seven runs in a season-low 3 2-3 innings. He was back on his game against San Diego, allowing only four hits in seven innings, including Logan Forsythe's solo homer.

Votto drove in the first two runs off Andrew Cashner (8-6), ending the right-hander's streak of three straight wins. Brandon Phillips added a two-run homer off Tim Stauffer.

San Diego's sloppy fielding helped the Reds score twice in the fifth for a 5-1 lead.

It was a break-out night for Todd Frazier. The Reds third baseman doubled in the first inning, ending an 0-for-31 slump that was the longest by a Reds player since Drew Stubbs went out in 32 consecutive at-bats last season. He came around on Votto's single, which gave the first baseman a seven-game hitting streak.

Frazier opened the third with a walk and scored on Votto's third triple of the season, a drive off the wall in right field that deflected back toward the infield. Jay Bruce's double made it 3-0.

San Diego ranks fourth in the NL in fielding, but helped the Reds take control with sloppy defense. Votto opened the fifth inning with a four-pitch walk — Cashner wasn't going to give him anything this time — and came around on Chris Heisey's two-out single that right fielder Will Venable misplayed for an error. Then, Zack Cozart grounded to Forsythe, whose high throw from shortstop landed in the Reds' dugout area, letting in another unearned run.

Phillips hit his 14th homer an inning later, also with two outs.

Venable homered in the eighth off Alfredo Simon, extending his hitting streak to six games.

Reds catcher Ryan Hanigan was activated off the disabled list and started the game, his first in a month. He'd been sidelined since July 11 with a sprained left wrist. Hanigan went 0 for 2 with a pair of walks.

Reliever Jonathan Broxton gave up a single in the ninth, his first appearance since June 13. The Reds set-up man was activated on Wednesday after recovering from a sprained pitching elbow.