Giants swept out of Cincinnati for the first time since 1994

Encountering trouble with his pitching counterpart, Cincinnati’s Bronson Arroyo, Matt Cain endured five rocky innings as the Giants lost Sunday, 9-3.

This season has had several low points and today was another one of them as the Reds recorded their first three-game sweep over the Giants in Cincinnati since June 21-23, 1994.

The Giants were swept out of Cincinnati for the first time in 14 years.

With the score tied, 1-1, Arroyo reached base in the second inning on a fielder’s choice and stole second as Chris Dickerson struck out. Jeff Keppinger then blooped an RBI single to left-center field. Joey Votto singled and Edwin Encarnacion was hit by a pitch to load the bases before Cain walked Jay Bruce to force in a run.

Emmanuel Burriss’ fourth-inning home run, the first by a Giants shortstop this season, narrowed the difference to 3-2. But with the bases loaded and two outs in the fifth, Arroyo doubled to left field on Cain’s 2-2 pitch, scoring two runs.

Cincinnati added a run in the sixth on doubles by Keppinger and Encarnacion off reliever Billy Sadler. Votto hit a bases-loaded double in the seventh that left fielder Fred Lewis apparently misjudged, then slipped as he tried to catch it. The ball went off his glove, allowing three runs to score.

Dirty Sanchez come off the DL to make his first start in a few weeks on Monday against the Rockies in Colorado.