Cueto lost his last two starts, including a loss to the Pirates last Thursday. He lost a 2-1 decision to these same Buccos with seven quality innings. On Wednesday he pitched even farther into the game and didn't allow a runner to reach second base until Rod Barajas doubled to begin the eighth inning. Cueto faced a a first and third no out situation but retired Princeton High School grad Josh Harrison on a lineout and struck out Alex Presley looking.
"I felt strong," Cueto said. "When I wake up in the morning, I can tell what kind of day it's going to be. I felt good with every single pitch I had.".
Neil Walker put Pittsburgh on the board with a single.
"Walker has been a thorn in our side since he's been in the league," Dusty Baker said.
Dusty Baker removed Cueto with a 5-1 lead, thanks to a bases-loaded double by Ryan Ludwick that cleared the bases.
Ludwick improved his average to .207 but he has 24 RBI which is fourth on the team behind, Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips. Phillips the cleanup hitter has 30 RBI.
"I've always been a guy that's driven in runs," Ludwick said. "That's what they brought me over to do. It's just been hard for me to get into a rhythm this year. I've platooned before but finding my rhythm at the plate consistently has been a struggle. It's been a struggle for me the last year and a half or so. For me personally to do this every once in awhile to let the ball club win is a good feeling. I came over here to win a championship. I thought this ball club had the talent to do that and we're in first place right now. I still don't think we've played our best baseball."
Phillips hit a home run in the second inning off Pittsburgh starter, Brad Lincoln, who is moving from the bullpen to the starting rotation.
Ryan Hanigan singled Ludwick home and the Reds appeared to be cruising behind Cueto, until the eighth inning. Baker went to the mound to talk to Cueto. After Barajas doubled and Pedro Alvarez singled to put the runners on the corners. He was over 100 pitches.
"I went out to talk to Cueto," Baker said. "I wanted to read his eyes and also ask Hanigan. The way the inning was set up, left, right, left. I wanted to see if we could get out of it."
Cueto wanted to stay.
"He (Baker) came out to take me out but I asked him for one more hitter," Cueto said. "Hanigan told him to leave me there, that I was strong enough to do it."
Logan Ondrusek left 19 of the 20 baserunners he inherited standing idle coming into the game to replace Cueto, looking to render two more idle. Andrew McCutcheon, however, wasn't having it. He put his 10th home run into the right-field bleachers.
Sean Marshall replaced Ondrusek pronto and got the Reds out of the inning with the 5-4 lead.
"Ondrusek just got a pitch up," Baker said.
Cueto finished with 7 2/3 innings of six-hit, three-run baseball. He walked one and struck out six. He walked off to a standing ovation from the crowd of 16,859.
Aroldis Chapman spun the radar gun. He broke Matt Hague's bat on a ground out. Blew Casey McGehee out with three triple digit heaters and struck out Rod Barajas for his sixth save.
"He's pretty good especially when he's strong and rested like that. That's what we have to try to do. He was throwing 100 mph for strikes and quality strikes," Baker said.
 |
| Professorially edited by ML Schirmer for more information Call 513-240-3120 |
No comments:
Post a Comment