Reds Snatch First Place From Cardinals in 7-3 Win

Johnny Cueto pitched a scoreless inning for every game he was suspended last year for his role in a brawl against the Cardinals in Cincinnati last August.

Brandon Phillips homered and drove in three runs and Ramon Hernandez provided more offense with two home runs to provide more than enough offense to make Cueto the winning pitcher.

The Reds downplayed the importance of taking the one-game lead over it's arch rival minutes after insuring a winning series, taking over first place and dispelling the notion that the team couldn't handle Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday and the Cardinals.

Kyle McClellan started the game 5-0 but his mind may have been elsewhere, since his wife is expecting their first child.  He rushed off to Missouri minutes after being removed from the game trailing 4-0.  McClellan filled the rotation void left from Adam Wainwright's season ending injury that was discovered early in spring training.

Phillips started the Reds with a home run leading off the second inning.  It broke a string of eight games in which Cardinal pitching avoided the long ball.

"I saw he was trying to get me out with breaking balls so I told myself to wait for something slow," Phillips said.  "I just wanted to drive the ball.  I'm more happy with the single."

After reigning MVP, Joey Votto, ruined the Cardinals night with a game winning hit last night, they elected to walk Votto intentionally twice.  Phillips, hitting cleanup because Scott Rolen was injured, made them pay.  Phillips singled home a run in the fifth and hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh following walks to Votto.

"I'm just trying to show how versatile I am, Phillips said.  "They should walk Joey.  It motivates me.  I am trying to do my job and get us the 'W".

Hernandez continued the home run barrage, while extending his hitting streak to nine games with two 400 foot home runs off McClellan.

"He's a good pitcher," Hernandez said.  "I was looking for a pitch early in the count because he is tough if he gets ahead of you.  I don't think his command was a good as it's been in other games.  I was lucky to get good pitches to hit."

Cueto was another story.

The righthander signed a contract this winter and was disappointed to be disabled to start the season.  He wanted to show he was worth the investment.

Since returning, Cueto has not allowed an earned run in 13 2/3 innings, though he allowed a home run to Jon Jay after Paul Janish and Scott Rolen made errors on consecutive plays.

"Johnny had great command of his fastball," Dusty Baker said.  "He was getting quick outs because he was using the corners.  He got a couple breaking balls up and got hurt but he had electric stuff.  There were a couple miscues by guys that rarely make miscues.  Johnny ran out of gas a little bit.  It looks like we made the right decision to have him sit out awhile to get better."

Logan "Big" Ondrusek relieved Cueto and got the hot hitting Matt Holliday to pop up to with the tying runs on base to close out the eighth.

The Reds lost 12 of 18 games to St. Louis last season.

"The only thing better than a win is more winning," Phillips said.  "What's the standings?  I don't even look at that until the All-Star Break.  Winning is sweet regardless of who its against.  The thing from last year is in the past."