Johnny Cueto Brought the Giants Down to Size 3-0

Johnny Cueto still has his dreadlocks unlike teammate and locker neighbor Edinson Volquez.  He pitched like Samson and chop down the Giants on four hits and two walks over seven innings.  He struck out eight.

The Reds were mostly held in check by San Francisco starter, Madison Bumgarner.  They young lefty allowed just one run in seven innings but Cueto was better and pitched his heart out in San Francisco.

The Reds scored three runs in three separate innings.  In each they started a mini rally with two outs and no one on.

Scott Rolen, back in the lineup after missing three games with illness, doubled with two outs.  The resurgent Jonny Gomes rewarded Dusty Baker's faith in him with a single up the middle, the second of his three hits on the night.

Cueto pitched out of trouble in the sixth.  Miguel Tejada hit a leadoff double, Freddie Sanchez bunted Tejada to third.  Cueto struck out Aubrey Huff with a nasty breaking ball in the dirt.  The pitch was right on the knees until it got right up on Huff, then the bottom dropped out.  Nate Schierholz grounded out to Joey Votto unassisted.

Bumgarner pulled an escape of his own in the seventh.  Gomes dumped his third hit down the rightfield line for a single.  Edgar Renteria, who picked up his World Series ring on this trip back to where he played last season, laid down a bunt for a hit.  With runners on first and second and no outs.  Bumgarner got Ramon Hernandez to hit a slow ground ball to Tejada, who stepped on third and completed the double play.  Cueto flew out to shallow center field.

Santiago Casilla retired Drew Stubbs and Brandon Phillps to start the eighth.  Casilla thought he struck Votto out on a 2-2 pitch but Bill Welke gave Votto the call.  Votto drilled a double to right.  Giants manager, Bruce Bochy, ordered Jay Bruce walked intentionally.  The act broke Bruce's 10-game hitting streak.  Rolen walked unintentionally.  Casilla made a pitch similar to the one Cueto threw to Huff on an 0-1 pitch.  Gomes missed it by a couple feet but catcher, Eli Whiteside, who is filling in for the injured Buster Posey, couldn't block the pitch.  Whiteside was charged with a passed ball which is debatable but what was not debated was Votto trotting home with an insurance run.

After Nick Masset pitched a dominant and perfect eighth, Guillermo Mota, got Renteria on a pop to second and Hernandez on a ground out.  Chris Heisey, a double switch defensive replacement hit a two-out single.  Stubbs drew a walk.  Phillips battled with two-strikes to a full count then ripped a curve to right to score Heisey.

Cueto lowered his ERA to 1.93.  He pitched at least seven innings in each of his last three games.  He lost to Atlanta 2-1 on an eight inning effort.  He was the victim of a blown save after throwing seven innings but the bullpen blew a 7-2 lead over the Dodgers. 

This time Masset and Francisco Cordero, locked this game up for Cueto.  Cordero is within one save of tying Doug Jones for 20th on the all-time saves list with his 302nd save.  Cordero was smart enough to get all three ninth inning hitters to ground out to Gold Glover, Phillips.