Votto Void No Big Deal Reds Beat Arizona Behind Ryan Ludwick and Johnny Cueto

Joey Votto had arthroscopic surgery and the only other lefthanded hitter, Jay Bruce was not "looking real good." according to Dusty Baker.

The righthanded Reds and ace hurler Johnny Cueto took care of the Arizona Diamondbacks in 4-0 win to push the Reds to 12-games over .500.

For the record the Reds are now 30-29 in games that Votto has missed since he broke in with the Reds in 2007.

"That game felt like 1-0 instead of 4-0," Dusty Baker said.  "We are going to be in a lot of those with Joey gone."

Cueto shook of a blister to throw six shutout innings, allowing just four hits but he wasn't sharp.  He ran his pitch count too high with four walks and twice had to pitch out of bases-loaded jams.

"I felt the blister a little bit," Cueto said.  "It was hot but my legs are in shape because I've been running in this heat."

It has been nine days between starts for Cueto.  He was scratched from his Sunday start and pushed back two days by the blister.

The Reds scored off young 21-year old (has anyone ever seen an old 21-yr old?) phenom, Trevor Bauer, who is the first player to reach the majors out of the 2011 draft.  Bauer had no control from the start, bouncing pitch after pitch and looking like a bowler in cricket.

"That young man has good stuff but he couldn't find the plate which helped us," Baker said.

Bauer walked Stubbs to start the Reds' first.  Zack Cozart reached on Stephen Drew's error.  Brandon Phillips fouled off some pitches before striking out.  With Ryan Ludwick batting, Bauer uncorked a wild pitch to allow Stubbs and Cozart to advance.  Ball four to Ludwick ended up against the bricks behind home plate and Stubbs scored.  The Reds were up 1-0 without a hit in the inning.

Meanwhile the only blister evident were on the butts of the Arizona hitters.  Ten walked to the plate 10 sat back down until former Red, Willie Bloomquist singled in the fourth.  The Diamondbacks loaded the bases in the fifth and sixth but Cueto pitched out of both jams, then gave way to Cincinnati's excellent bullpen.

"I was happy to get that lefthanded hitter (Gerardo Parra) out with the bases loaded," Cueto said.

Ryan Ludwick batting cleanup in the absence of Votto and Bruce got the Reds' first hit.  It was a home run to the upper deck with Cozart and Phillips on base courtesy of a pair of passes issued by Bauer.  It was his 14th home run and gave him 39 RBI on the season.

Bauer nearly hit Ludwick with the first pitch.  Ludwick went to his backside with his feet in the air to avoid the pitch.

:"I nearly did the reverse Chapman," Ludwick said.  "We need to pick each other up with Joey gone.  He is a $200 million man so you're going to miss him but we have the guys that can do it."

And that my friends was the end of the scoring.

The Reds' bullpen - Jose Arredondo, Sam LeCure, Sean Marhall and Aroldis Chapman scattered five hits.

Marshall faced four batters and struck out two but allowed a pair of singles.

Dusty Baker elected to bring in the Cuban Missle, Aroldis Chapman to get the last out in what became a save situation.  Four pitches later of 99,99,101 and 101 mph and Aaron Hill was a strike out victim and Chapman had his 14th save.