The last time, and only time, a Reds pitcher threw a perfect game, the team was wearing those old pullover poly-knit jerseys with beltless pants. It was Tom Browning in 1988.
On ’90s night at Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday, the Reds were wearing the road version of the uniforms from that era. And Bronson Arroyo flirted with perfection on his way to a 3-2 win over the Phillies.
“He threw a masterful game,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said.
The 76-49 Reds are a season-high 27 games over .500 and lead the National League Central by a season-high eight games.
Arroyo, who retired his first 14 in a row and the first 22 out of 23 batters, still wouldn’t let himself to get too comfortable. After all, he took a 1-7 record and 7.28 lifetime ERA vs. the Phillies into the game and hadn’t beaten them since the 2000 season, when he was a kid with the Pirates.
“This is the type of team you can’t really break,” Arroyo said. “There are some teams that when you mow through them for six innings, you break their spirit. This is a ballclub that has been in this situation 100 times, and they’ve got a very veteran team. They make a lot of adjustments, so there is no way you can continue to beat them one way. It’s always a real battle to close these guys out in this ballpark.”
Arroyo, who worked into the ninth inning, allowed two runs and three hits, with no walks and four strikeouts. He needed only 86 pitches as he improved to a 10-7 record and gave the Reds four 10-game winners for the first time since 2000.
“I can’t complain about anything, really,” Arroyo said. “My sinker was there. I had command of the strike zone. I got quick outs. It was as good of a ballgame as I could throw.”
There was a clean slate for Arroyo, and he worked quickly to retire Philadelphia in order through 4 2/3 innings.
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