Yankees Early Rally Holds Up, Reds Late Rally Falls Short In Reds 5-3 Loss

 
The New York Yankees jumped on Cincinnati's emergency starter, Travis Wood, scoring four runs on five hits in the first inning.
 
Young Ivan Nova made them stand up in his eight innings of work.
 
Nick Swisher singled to open the game.  Wood struck out Curtis Granderson but Mark Texeira and Alex Rodriguez singled for one run.  Robinson Cano doubled a run home. Russell Martin's ground out to short scored Rodriguez, then Andruw Jones, who got the start because of the Reds late pitching change singled to knock in the fourth run of the inning.
 
Wood was starting on his normal rest because scheduled starter, Johnny Cueto, had a stiff neck.
 
"It was normal rest so I don't think it made a difference," Wood said.  "I tried to stay as calm as I could.  I made some pitches that were where I wanted but they put good swings on them.  I missed a couple pitches too."
 
Dusty Baker blamed pitch location.
 
"He had the leadoff hitter (Swisher) 2-2 and got a pitch up.  He was throwing waist high and thigh high," Baker said.  "After the double by Cano, he settled in."
 
The Reds got one back in the bottom of the first but were still disappointed.
 
Drew Stubbs singled and stole second.  Brandon Phillips drilled a pitch to right and they put Nova in the stretch right away.  Joey Votto hit a hard ground ball to Cano, who turned it into a double play.  Stubbs scored but that was the Reds offense for a long while.
 
Nova went 14 batters withoug allowing a hit or walk.  Stubbs struck out on a pitch in the dirt but reached first when the ball got past catcher, Russell Martin, two outs into the fifth.
 
"We had action in the first inning but didn't get a hit.  After that we had trouble getting the leadoff hitter on to put Nova in ths stretch right away.  Nova gave up hits to Paul Janish and Fredie Lewis but nothing else in eight innings.
 
"Obviously, he pitched a good game," Brandon Phillips, who had two of the Reds six hits.  "He got every thing over.  You had to hit the best you can.  You definitly didn't want to get to two strikes.  He had a nasty curveball.  You tip your hat to him."
 
Phillips brought the Reds to life by leading off the ninth inning with a single off Luis Ayala. 
 
"When I got that hit I thought here we come.  We are the comeback kids.  But we came up short," Phillips said.
 
Yankee manager pulled Ayala right away and sent lefty reliever, Boone Logan, to the mound to deal with Votto and Jay Bruce.
 
Logan hit Votto with a pitch. 
 
Exit Logan enter Yankee veteran closer, Mariano Rivera.  Bruce was the first out, grounding to Texeira at firstbase.  Scott Rolen's infield hit made it 5-2.  Chris Heisey hustled to beat out a double play ball and Votto scored.
 
Rivera earned his 18th save by striking out pinch hitter, Edgar Renteria.