Reds Lose In Edinson Volquez Wild Start

The wildness bug bit another Reds pitcher a night after fireballing Aroldis Chapman walked three and hit a batter.

Edinson Volquez start ended a hot streak by Cincinnati starting pitching.  The strikezone was not his friend.  He walked the bases loaded and Michael Bourn made him pay with a two-run single.

Volquez avoided the loss after finishing five innings.  Mike Leake took the loss when Hunter Pence followed a walk to JR Towles with a double deep into the rightfield corner.

Chris Heisery hit his fifth career pinch hit home run off Wandy Rodriguez in the seventh inning and barely sat down when Drew Stubbs took Volquez off the hook with an opposite field, game tying long ball.  It is his sixth.

Leake was moved to long relief when Johnny Cueto returned to the rotation.  Leake had been fairly successful as a starter.  Leake could have been sent to Louisville but the Reds choose to develop the former Arizona State ace in the major leagues.

Leake has shown that his effectiveness wanes as he goes through the opposing lineup the third time.

Dusty Baker feels that he can contribute to the Reds championship drive by bailing out a starter on a day when the starter doesn't have good stuff.  Leake is stretched out and is a good enough hitter that Baker doesn't jhave to pinch hit for him when his turn comes up.

There is also the concern that Leake hasn't had time to adjust to the length of a professional season, having skipped the minor leagues completely.

Baker sighted several precedents to the throwback strategy.  As an example, Dave Burba, who won 10 or more games six season in a row as a starter.  Burba won 10 games twice for Baker in a long relief/spot starter role.  Burba had a 15 year career and finished with a 115-87 record.

The Reds had a 4-2 road trip with both losses coming in the home teams final at bat.

Paul Janish returned for Cincinnati on Wednesday.

There is a good chance that Scott Rolen will return on Friday when the Reds face arch-enemy St. Louis.