EKU's Christian Friedrich Out Duels Johnny Cueto

The was double trouble at Great American Ball Park.  The Colorado Rockies knocked five doubles and Todd Helton added his fifth home run of the season.  Eastern Kentucky University product Christian Friedrich survived a rocky fifth to hang a 6-3 loss on the Reds to break Cincinnati's six-game winning streak.

Johnny Cueto simply didn't have it.  Rockies batsmen tagged him for four doubles among the 11 hits he allowed and all five runs.

Willin Rosario hit a one-out double in the third.  He advanced to third on Friedrich's first major league hit.  Eric Young Jr delivered Rosario with a single.

"I was 0 for.  I haven't had a hit since I signed.  The last hit I had was probably in high school.  Cueto must have looked at me and said, 'this kid's not going to do anything.'  I looked at the coach and he said hit. (there was a runner on second and one out).  I couldn't believe it."

The Reds hit Friedrich hard in the fourth to tie the game. Joey Votto singled, one of his four hits.  Brandon Phillips followed with a single.  Chris Heisey drilled a fastball but it was right at shortstop Troy Tulowitzki.  Ryan Ludwick doubled Votto home.  Todd Frazier tied the game with a double.

"I have a lot to improve on," Friedrich said.  "I was leaky a little bit.  (Bob Apodaca) Dac came out and told me to get back over the rubber.  The bullpen did a great job for us."

Friedrich finished the inning and the next to qualify for the win.

Cueto gave up a leadoff double to Carlos Gonzalez in the top of the fifth.  Tulowitzki and Helton singled for one run.  After Tyler Colvin hit into a double play, Jordan Pacheco doubled to put the Rockies up 5-3 and end Cueto's evening.  His ERA ballooned to 2.53.

"Johnny didn't have his breaking ball tonight.  He was flying open," Dusty Baker said.  "The two out hit eluded us and they got a couple.  You get greedy and want to win them all but when you break a winning streak, you go out the next day and try to start another."

Former Red Matt Belisle struck out Phillips with the tying run on second in the seventh inning to preserve the lead.

"Matt is a warrior," Colorado manager Jim Tracy said.  "Look what he's done for us in Miami and tonight.  He had to get not only Phillips but he had to get the intervening outs.  He had to get four outs for us."

Colorado scored and insurance run off Jose Arredondo in the ninth inning.

Rafael Betancourt earned his eighth save in nine attempts.

Friedrich became the 10th Eastern Kentucky baseball player in the major leagues on May 9. The list of Colonels to play in the major leagues include Hall of Famer Earl Combs, a member of the fabled 1927 New York Yankees.  The others are: Josh Anderson, Win Ballou, Brandon Berger, Scott Earl, Steve Engel, Clyde Hatter, Bobby Moore and Gene Walter.

"I looked up in the stands and saw eight of my teammates from Eastern in the stands," Friedrich said.