Dan Haren hits first career homer, Diamondbacks break slump with 6-2 win over Reds

Haren homers, pitches Arizona past Reds 6-2

CINCINNATI — Dan Haren held the Cincinnati Reds scoreless into the seventh inning, showing why he’s been the NL’s stingiest pitcher in June, and connected on his first career homer Tuesday night during a 6-2 victory that snapped the Arizona Diamondbacks’ longest losing streak of the season.

Arizona had dropped five in a row and eight of nine, done in by the major leagues’ worst defense and one of the NL’s most futile offenses. Haren (7-5) is the one thing the Diamondbacks can count on.

The right-hander gave up a run and four hits in seven innings, lowering his ERA to 2.19, the best in the league. He also hit a solo homer off Bronson Arroyo (8-7), who is having a rough time in June.

Miguel Montero hit a two-run homer off Arroyo in the sixth, a high, arching shot to center that landed an estimated 422 feet away. Up came Haren, who hit Arroyo’s next pitch into the first row of seats in left field for a 6-0 lead, trying to suppress a grin during his first nonstop trip around the bases.

Montero also had a pair of singles, helping Arizona end its streak of five straight losses against Cincinnati. Mark Reynolds added three hits, including a two-run single.

Haren has been one of the few dependables for the injury-decimated Diamondbacks, mired in last place in the NL West. He had the Reds guessing wrong most of the time, retiring the first 11 in order — four of them on called third strikes that dusted the corners. Jay Bruce got Cincinnati’s first hit with two outs in the fifth, lining a single to center. It was only the second ball that Cincinnati got out of the infield.

Ramon Hernandez’s double in the seventh ended the shutout. Haren is 3-1 in six June starts, allowing only eight earned runs — the stingiest performance by any NL starter in the month.

Brandon Phillips had a sacrifice fly in the eighth, when the Reds loaded the bases but managed only one run.

For Arroyo, it’s been a month of much misery. The right-hander has gone 1-4 and been hit hard. He gave up three homers in an 8-2 loss in Toronto on Wednesday, lasting only 3 2-3 innings, and allowed six runs in 5 1-3 innings against the Diamondbacks.

It could have been worse: Arizona had two runners thrown out at the plate while Arroyo was in the game.

NOTES: Haren left for a pinch hitter after throwing 111 pitches. … Arizona activated 1B Chad Tracy from the disabled list. He missed 27 games with strained muscles in his right side. Manager A.J. Hinch plans to start him on Wednesday. RHP Leo Rosales was optioned to Triple-A. … The Diamondbacks have four sets of back-to-back homers this season. … Reds manager Dusty Baker expects 3B Edwin Encarnacion to continue his rehab assignment in the minors for the rest of the week. Encarnacion went on the DL on April 28 with a chipped bone in his left wrist.