. 16, got more treatment Tuesday and the team would have

PHOENIX -- Unsatisfied after a pair of losses, Johnny Cueto told his teammates he would pitch well against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Oakland Athletics Gear . Just get me two runs, he told them. The Reds did more than that. Not that he needed it. Cueto pitched effectively into the eighth inning and the Reds gave him some rare run support in a 5-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks Saturday night. "He backed his word," Reds catcher Brayan Pena said. "He said it was going to be a good one and we gave him much better run support today." The Reds have had trouble hitting with Cueto (5-4) on the mound this season, but followed Fridays big offensive night by scoring all five runs off Diamondbacks starter Brandon McCarthy (1-7) in consecutive innings. Billy Hamilton ignited Cincinnatis offence with two hits and two runs from the leadoff spot. Brandon Phillips had a pair of run-scoring singles off McCarthy and the Reds had 11 hits to win for the third time in four games. Cueto allowed five hits and struck out seven in 7 2-3 innings, and Jonathan Broxton escaped a bases-loaded jam in the eighth to preserve the Reds sixth shutout of the season. "Another excellent performance," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Cueto. "Certainly needed because were trying to put some wins together. Weve won some series, but we really havent run off a winning streak, which would really help us." Arizona struggled offensively, finishing with six hits, and McCarthy had his second straight shaky outing. That wasnt even the worst news of the night for the Diamondbacks. Not even close. Centre fielder A.J. Pollock, arguably Arizonas best player over the past month, broke his right hand while swinging at a pitch by Cueto in the eighth inning. Over the past 23 games, the 26-year-old hit .379 with 10 doubles, three homers, 10 RBIs and 16 runs scored, but now will be out an extended period of time. "That is a big blow," Arizona manager Kirk Gibson said. "He has been playing great, emerging. He has been huge for us. I dont know how else to say it." Cueto has been superb most of the season, leading the NL in batting average against at .148 with an ERA of 1.83, third-best in the league. He also allowed two earned runs or less in 10 of 11 starts before Saturday. The problem has been getting help from Cincinnatis offence. The Reds have scored an average of 2.8 runs per game when Cueto is on the mound, including one total run his previous two starts combined. Cincinnati did break out of its offensive doldrums a bit against the Diamondbacks on Friday night, beating up on former teammate Bronson Arroyo in a 6-4 win that included 11 hits and a grand slam by Devin Mesoraco. The Reds kept rolling against McCarthy, scoring three runs in the fourth inning on run-scoring singles by Phillips and Todd Frazier and Brayan Penas RBI double. Skip Schumaker added a run-scoring double in the fifth inning and Phillips chased McCarthy with an RBI double -- he was thrown out trying to stretch it to a triple -- that put the Reds up 5-0. McCarthy allowed five runs on nine hits in 4 1-3 innings, matching his totals in 6 2-3 innings against San Diego his previous start. "I am starting to give up runs again and that is kind of where its been," McCarthy said. "A few quality innings and then things turn and I dont have any understanding why." Cueto got off a shaky start, giving up a pair of one-out singles in the first inning, but wriggled out of it, stranding runners at second and third. The right-hander worked quickly and efficiently over the next six innings, twice stranding runners in scoring position. He was lifted with one out in the eighth after a walk and a hit batter. Arizona loaded the bases after Parra hit an infield single, but Broxton struck out Paul Goldschmidt and got Miguel Montero to fly out to end the threat. "He just answered the bell," Price said of Broxton. "He faced two of their most productive hitters and did a terrific job." NOTES: Hamilton stole second in the fifth inning to reach 20 for the season. ... Arizonas Gerado Parra went 2 for 3 against Cueto and is 6 for 15 with three doubles, two homers and three RBIs career against him. ... Arizona LHP Wade Miley, the starter in Sundays series finale, struck out a career-high 11 in his last start, but was not part of the decision on the 4-3 loss to the Padres. He will face Reds RHP Alfredo Simon, who failed to get out of the fourth inning against the Dodgers his last start. Wholesale Athletics Jerseys . Tyrell appeared in seven games with the Lightning this year, he had no points in those appearances. The 24-year-old has seven goals and 17 assists in 132 career NHL games, all coming with the Lightning. He was selected in the second round, 47th overall, of the 2007 draft. Oakland Athletics Pro Shop . Although head coach Randy Carlyle jokingly wondered how much actual training Bolland got done while in London. "I dont know how much training goes on when you go back to the junior team that you played for so I wouldnt read too much into that," laughed Carlyle after the Maple Leafs were put through an up-tempo practice that concluded with a 10-minute bag skate on Thursday. https://www.cheapathleticsonline.com/ . The Raptors general manager has his list of possible draft selections whittled down to a handful ahead of Thursday nights NBA draft in Brooklyn, New York. The Raptors, who have auditioned dozens of players over the past couple of weeks, have the 20th overall pick in the first round, as well as the 37th and 58th picks in the second. NEW YORK -- Carmelo Anthonys three straight 3-pointers in a 15-0 third-quarter run were just what the Knicks thought they needed to break away from the Detroit Pistons. "Coming out of halftime, we said we just need one run to just separate ourselves," Anthony said. But to win it, they needed Anthony to grab one big rebound against a bigger front line, then hit a couple of finishing free throws. Anthony scored 13 of his 34 points in the third, then put it away with two free throws with 2.9 seconds left as the Knicks handed the Pistons a season-high fifth straight loss with an 89-85 victory on Tuesday night. Raymond Felton finished with 12 points and six assists in his return from injury for the Knicks, who came home from a 2-1 Texas swing and held on after blowing most of the 17-point lead they built while outscoring the Pistons 32-17 in the third quarter. Andrea Bargnani had 13 points and 11 rebounds, helping the Knicks overcome the absence of an ill Tyson Chandler to beat the Pistons at Madison Square Garden for the eighth straight time. Josh Smith had 21 points and 12 rebounds for Detroit, while Andre Drummond finished with 12 points and 17 boards. The Pistons were 3 of 19 on 3-pointers and badly missed reserve guard Rodney Stuckey, who missed his third straight game with a sore shoulder, because starters Brandon Jennings and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope shot a combined 3 for 18. "We had a very good effort," coach Maurice Cheeks said. "We were able to fight back, but we couldnt make any shots at the end." Anthony finally brought some offence to an ugly game in the third. He drilled three in a row from behind the arc, the first two from nearly the same spot in front of old teammate and current Pistons assistant coach Rasheed Wallace, to make it 58-49. Felton followed with a jumper before Anthony dunked to cap a 15-0 spurt and give the Knicks a 62-49 advantage. Jennings ended the run with Detroits first 3-pointer of the game, but Amare Stoudemire and Anthony had baskets before Iman Shumpert converted a three-point play when Greg Monroe made a feeble attempt to foul him, as the lead ballooned to 69-52. Oakland Athletics Store. The Pistons had six baskets and seven turnovers in the period, which ended with the Knicks leading 73-58. Detroit put together an 11-3 run to cut it to 86-85 on Charlie Villanuevas free throw with 46 seconds left. The Pistons got a chance for the lead after Anthony was charged with an offensive foul, but Smith was woefully short on a jumper with 9.9 seconds left that Cheeks wished had been a drive to the basket instead. "I didnt get the shot I wanted. Im still beating myself up for that," Smith said. "I couldve been a little more aggressive and try to put the initiative on the referees to make a call. It was a shot that is definitely going to be with me until the next game so I can get it out of my head." Felton was fouled and missed the second free throw, but Anthony came away with the rebound, was fouled and made both. Felton played for just the second time in 14 games, having strained his right groin on Dec. 23 in his return from a six-game absence with a strained left hamstring. He was perhaps fatigued down the stretch, making a pair of turnovers that nearly cost the Knicks. "We got a win, thats the main thing," Felton said. The Knicks jumped to a 16-8 lead in the first 5 1/2 minutes before the messiness ensued. New York shot just 33 per cent from the field in the first half and was only 4 of 9 from the free throw line, yet was able to manage a 41-all tie. The Pistons backcourt did its part to help the Knicks, with Jennings and Caldwell-Pope combining to go 0 for 8 and Chauncey Billups coming off the bench to miss all three of his attempts. The Pistons were 0 of 8 from 3-point range in the half. Notes: Detroit fell to 6-1 against the Atlantic Division. ... Knicks forward Metta World Peace said he expected to miss two weeks after having an unspecified procedure on both knees Monday. ... Knicks coach Mike Woodson said guard Pablo Prigioni, out since breaking a toe on Dec. 16, got more treatment Tuesday and the team would have a better feel for his status Wednesday. ' ' '