The Reds have scored a lot of runs but the pitching staff leads the NL in walks and home runs allowed.
On Monday Mike Leake helped give the Reds the "everything game" that they needed according to Dusty Baker.
Baker was asked by Channel 12 Sports Anchor, Brad Johanson before the game to discuss the lineup. Baker turned down the opportunity. "I'm tired of explaining my lineup everyday. Let's just say it was the manager's choice," Baker said.
The managers choices included moving Leake up a day and to bring Edinson Volquez back from Louisville to start on Tuesday. Miguel Cairo was at thirdbase because Scott Rolen has strep throat. Edgar Renteria is dealing with his aging back. Jonny Gomes was in the lineup as Baker continues to mix and match him with Fred Lewis and Chris Heisey.
Leake responded with an eight inning game. He allowed 10 hits but only walked one and hit a batter. The Cubs scored two runs.
"Leake pitches at the knees," Baker said. "He can go for the strikeout at times but he uses his defense. He can also get the double play when he needs to."
Gomes drove in the Reds first runs after Jay Bruce extended his hitting streak to eight games with a leadoff double in the second inning. Gomes lined a single up the middle. Drew Stubbs hit a home run in the third inning. Leake himself grounded a run scoring single past Darwin Barney at second base. Stubbs beat a relay on a ground ball with the bases loaded to give the Reds a 4-1 lead.
The Cubs scored in the first on two singles and a sacrifice fly. They cut the lead to 4-2 in the fifth on a one out double by Kosuke Fukudome, the last of his three hits. An infield single by Barney and a sacrifice fly to Starling Castro.
Gomes broke the game open. Joey Votto was hit by a pitch toe start the fifth. Bruce hit his second double to put runners on second and third. Gomes hit a long fly to left that ended in the seats for a three-run home run.
"With a runner on third and no outs, I just wanted a fly ball deep enough to get the run home. The minute I hit it, I knew I got the job done. It went out and that was icing on the cake."
Gomes struggling with a batting average below .200 hit the ball hard in three of his four plate appearances and was hit by a pitch in his fourth. He lined hard to short in his second at bat but appears to have found his stroke.
"We have a three-headed monster in left field with Lewis and (Chris) Heisey. I have faith in them and they have faith in me," Gomes said.
Dusty Baker got all that he needed.
"It was good that Jonny hit the ball hard each time up. Leake got us eight innings we had guys in the bullpen that had worked two or three days in a row. We got Bill Bray in the game after he had a bad game last time, we wanted to get him out there as soon as we could," Baker said.
Leake was pleased as well.
"You always want to go long in a game. It was important tonight to give our bullpen a rest," Leake said.
Leake pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning. The team had gone 19 consecutive innings without a perfect frame. At least one runner was on base in 19 straight. Leake allowed hits in the next two but Bray pitched a perfect ninth.
 |
| By Jerry Dowling |
No comments:
Post a Comment