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Bruce as powerful as ever coming off homestand

PHOENIX -- Reds right fielder Jay Bruce could be poised for another one of those stretches where he is the hottest hitter in baseball.

Bruce's bat has made contact for some no-doubt, low line-drive home runs as of late, and he added a high blast to right field in the fourth inning against the D-backs on Friday. Bruce entered that game 7-for-28 (.250) on the prior seven-game homestand but had five solo homers, including three in the last four games during that span.

"I'm trying to put myself in a position to be successful," Bruce said. "It's what I've been saying and sounds cliché, but I don't focus on the results too, too much. I'm trying to be ready when I do have a chance to do something positive."

Bruce, who has a team-leading 16 home runs, entered Friday batting .327 (18-for-55) over his last 13 games.

Mark Sheldon is a reporter for MLB.com. Read his blog, Mark My Word, and follow him on Twitter @m_sheldon.
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