Volquez Over Pitches But Reds Rally for 12-4 Win Fifth Straight.

Edinson Volquez doesn't want to be known as just a thrower.  He trusts all his pitches.  Normally, it is a good thing but Dusty Baker said he "overpitched".

Volquez perhaps stinging from allowing the first two batters he faced this season to hit home runs, was trying to out fox the Houston Astros.

That strategy put Volquez in a four run hole.  He walked three, gave up four hits and four runs in the first inning.  The first six outs he recorded were by strkeout.

"He trusts all of his stuff.  He was showing all of his pitches to every hitter.  Even when they couldn't catch up to his fastball.  He never established his fastball in a location and lost his command.  Sometimes young pitchers are caught between being a pitcher and a thrower," Baker said.

Baker told Volquez to forget about strikeouts.

"I didn't think they would leave me out there for five innings.  Strikeouts are good but they are bad because you throw a lot of pitches," Volquez said.

After the first inning Volquez pitched four scoreless innings while his teammates picked him up like they did on  opening day with 12 unanswered runs.

"They didn't really get to him.  He got to himself.  We were trying to stick with him.  We didn't want to go to the bullpen that early.  We have our first stretch of games without a day off.  We don't want to get deep into the bullpen so soon," Baker said.

This was the second of nine games in nine days.

"I'm glad that we came back our offense is still rolling," Baker said.

Brandon Phillips had three hits.

"We have his back," Phillips said.  "He made some mistakes but we're winning.  It's a beautiful thing."

Those that had his back as the Reds erased the deficit with one run in the second and five in the third.

Joey Votto, hitting .389, had two hits.  Scott Rolen had a two-run double and three RBI.  Jay Bruce had a pair of hits.   Paul Janish, who is known more for his glove than his bat, was 3-for-5 and drove in two runs.  Janish is hitting .444 five games into the season.

"Right now we're clicking.  Volquie had a rough first inning.  He was big fighting through five innings.  It's big for us to keep having tough at bats and come right at them," Janish said.

The start couldn't be better for Janish individually and the Reds collectively.

"I had a good spring training," Janish said..  "I felt good coming into the season.  It's definitely good to get off to a good start.  It's a long season but its good to get off to a good start.  It's better than an 0 fer.  We hope to keep it rolling right into the road trip."

The Reds lead is 1 1/2 over the Pittsburgh Pirates but 3 1/2 over the Milwaukee Brewers and the St. Louis Cardinals.  Both the latter teams are expected by experts to challenge the Reds defense of the NL Central title.