Baker has been preaching the get-em-on-get-em-over-get-em-in approach for weeks, fundamental baseball that can put runs on the board, when players are slumping or struggling in the clutch.
Chris Heisey reached second base on a throwing error by Chase d'Arnaud to start the game. Renteria got him over with a bunt and Joey Votto delivered him with a sacrifice fly. Miguel Cairo hit a fly to score Jay Bruce in the second inning to plate Jay Bruce to put the Reds two runs up against Jeff Karstens.
Renteria drove in Cueto, who reached base on a two-out error again by d'Arnaud, scored.
Cueto allowed a run in six innings on four hits.
Baker allowed Cueto to hit in the seventh inning with a runner on secondbase and one out. By resisting the temptation to hit for Cueto, allowed Baker to put his bullpen in position to close out the Pirates.
Baker wanted to get Cueto threw the seventh but failing that he had his bullpen set up in case a runner reached base. Catcher Michael McKenry reached on an error by Scott Rolen. Baker went to lefthander, Bill Bray to face Xavier Paul. Matt Diaz hit for Paul and singled to put runners on first and second with no out. Bray being lefthanded remained in the game to face, Alex Presley. Presley bunted to try and advance the runners but it was to Bray's glove side and the reliever cut down McKenry at thirdbase for the first out.
Baker called on sinker ball pitcher Logan Ondrusek. d'Arnaud flied out to left where Baker had his best outfield defense set up with Heisey in left and Drew Stubbs in center. Ondrusek struck out Neil Walker to end the threat.
The Reds manager allowed Ondrusek to stay in to face All-Star Andrew McCutcheon. He got McCutcheon to ground out to defensive replacement Zack Cozart. Baker now had Aroldis Chapman ready to face a pair of lefthanders, Lyle Overbay and Garrett Jones. Champan induced a ground out by Overbay and struck out Jones.
Francisco Cordero finished off the Pirates for his second consecutive 1-2-3 inning save. Cordero hit a rough spot in the road, blowing saves, three times right before the All-Star break. Baker's patience paid off and Cordero has retired all six batters he's faced since then.
The Reds cut its Central Division deficit to four games and come home for a long home stand.
By hanging in the race, the Reds put themselves in good position because the 2011 schedule flips into their favor for the last two months.
I Had a Hammer The Hank Aaron Stgory
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