Reds shutout Twins to snap 4-game skid
Lead Summary
By
Stephen Forsha-sforsha@gmail.com
CINCINNATI — A home run by Brandon Phillips and a three-hit pitching performance and two RBIs at the plate by Johnny Cueto was a double dose of baseball the Minnesota Twins just couldn't counter.
The Cincinnati Reds broke out in the bottom of the fourth inning, and from there they never looked back as they defeated the Twins in interleague play 6-0 Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park, snapping a four-game losing skid.
Before the game, the Reds inducted three new members to their Hall of Fame, including Sean Casey, Dan Driessen and the late John Reilly.
During the game, the next generation of potential Reds Hall of Famers showed they can be in that same spot sometime in the future, especially in the bottom of the fourth as Cincinnati changed the tempo of the game, scoring four runs in the inning.
The Reds' half of the fourth began with a walk by Joey Votto, and the very next pitch after the walk, Phillips hit a 91 MPH sinker ball to centerfield for a 2-0 lead as he and Votto rounded the bases for his 10th home run and 44th RBI of the season.
Jay Bruce (2-for-4) followed with a base hit to right field, and he scored on a double by Scott Rolen (2-for-3) for a three-run lead.
"It was big, we got big days from Jay Bruce, which was badly needed, and a big day by Brandon. He's come on strong, came out of nowhere and now has 10 home runs," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He's one of the league leaders in RBIs from the cleanup spot, and Scotty came through with some big hits too … and he knows how to run the bases, he runs them well."
The fourth run was a "grind-it-out" type of run as Cueto, after fouling off a few pitches, finally laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt towards first base, scoring Rolen for a 4-0 advantage, as Baker stated Rolen's timing on the bunt was "perfect."
"It's a hard play to defend," Rolen said of the bunt as at one point he had to slide back into third base head first. "We've talked quite a bit about defending it quite a bit, first-to-third, because generally the third baseman is going to come down the line, and the runner is going to go as far as he goes.
"If the catcher points at third, it means nobody is there … so if you have your eye on the third baseman, you can see how much he's going to give you down the line. I was able to get quite a bit … the pitcher flipped it to first, and I was able to go on in."
For the game, Cueto's two RBIs came on no hits. In the pitching win, Cueto (9-3) went seven innings on the mound, allowing three hits and no runs with nine strikeouts, one walk and one hit batter.
"That's what aces do … that's what all-stars do, that's what potential Cy Young Award winners do ... they stop bad streaks," Baker said of Cueto's performance Saturday that stopped the aforementioned four-game losing streak of the Reds.
Through an interpreter, Cueto spoke about his outing.
"Everything was normal … all the pitches were good," Cueto said. "Everything I wanted to throw for a strike, I was able to. It all started this morning … I felt really strong and I knew I had to win, and I had to do it for my teammates, those were my thoughts this morning."
In the top half of the fourth, the Reds showed their defensive skills as right fielder Todd Frazier (2-for-4) robbed a hit in the top of the fourth by Denard Span, diving to make the catch for the first out of the inning. Not to be outdone, Phillips made a bare-handed stop at second, tossing it to first for the second out of the inning. The out was followed by a double by Joe Mauer, the 2009 AL MVP, but it was for naught when Cueto stuck out Josh Willingham for the third out of the inning.
The Twins finished with three hits on the day from Mauer, Willingham and Brian Dozier.
Cincinnati added one run in the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Hanigan was walked to load the bases with one out in hopes to force a double play with Cueto due up next in the lineup. Cueto had different plans as the pitcher helped his own cause by batting in Rolen from third base with a ground out to the shortstop, giving the Reds a five-run lead.
Another run by Cincinnati was added to the GABP scoreboard in the eighth with Bruce leading off the inning with a two-base hit, scoring on an error by Twins shortstop Dozier for their sixth run of the game.
The Twins threatened in their half of the fifth with two base runners on a single and walk, but Cueto stomped the rally with a strikeout to end the inning.
Minnesota's Brian Duensing, making his first start of the season, was charged with the loss. Duensing (1-3) pitched into the third inning, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks, with one strikeout. Anthony Swarzak pitched four innings of relief, allowing one earned run on three hits and two intentional walks, while striking out two batters.
Jose Arredondo pitched in relief during the eighth inning for Cincinnati, retiring the side with two ground outs and a fly ball to center to end the inning. In the ninth, Alfredo Simon wrapped up the game by retiring three straight batters, ending the game with a strikeout of Willingham.
BOX SCORE
MIN 000 000 000 — 0 3 1
CIN 000 401 01x — 6 8 0[[In-content Ad]]
The Cincinnati Reds broke out in the bottom of the fourth inning, and from there they never looked back as they defeated the Twins in interleague play 6-0 Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park, snapping a four-game losing skid.
Before the game, the Reds inducted three new members to their Hall of Fame, including Sean Casey, Dan Driessen and the late John Reilly.
During the game, the next generation of potential Reds Hall of Famers showed they can be in that same spot sometime in the future, especially in the bottom of the fourth as Cincinnati changed the tempo of the game, scoring four runs in the inning.
The Reds' half of the fourth began with a walk by Joey Votto, and the very next pitch after the walk, Phillips hit a 91 MPH sinker ball to centerfield for a 2-0 lead as he and Votto rounded the bases for his 10th home run and 44th RBI of the season.
Jay Bruce (2-for-4) followed with a base hit to right field, and he scored on a double by Scott Rolen (2-for-3) for a three-run lead.
"It was big, we got big days from Jay Bruce, which was badly needed, and a big day by Brandon. He's come on strong, came out of nowhere and now has 10 home runs," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "He's one of the league leaders in RBIs from the cleanup spot, and Scotty came through with some big hits too … and he knows how to run the bases, he runs them well."
The fourth run was a "grind-it-out" type of run as Cueto, after fouling off a few pitches, finally laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt towards first base, scoring Rolen for a 4-0 advantage, as Baker stated Rolen's timing on the bunt was "perfect."
"It's a hard play to defend," Rolen said of the bunt as at one point he had to slide back into third base head first. "We've talked quite a bit about defending it quite a bit, first-to-third, because generally the third baseman is going to come down the line, and the runner is going to go as far as he goes.
"If the catcher points at third, it means nobody is there … so if you have your eye on the third baseman, you can see how much he's going to give you down the line. I was able to get quite a bit … the pitcher flipped it to first, and I was able to go on in."
For the game, Cueto's two RBIs came on no hits. In the pitching win, Cueto (9-3) went seven innings on the mound, allowing three hits and no runs with nine strikeouts, one walk and one hit batter.
"That's what aces do … that's what all-stars do, that's what potential Cy Young Award winners do ... they stop bad streaks," Baker said of Cueto's performance Saturday that stopped the aforementioned four-game losing streak of the Reds.
Through an interpreter, Cueto spoke about his outing.
"Everything was normal … all the pitches were good," Cueto said. "Everything I wanted to throw for a strike, I was able to. It all started this morning … I felt really strong and I knew I had to win, and I had to do it for my teammates, those were my thoughts this morning."
In the top half of the fourth, the Reds showed their defensive skills as right fielder Todd Frazier (2-for-4) robbed a hit in the top of the fourth by Denard Span, diving to make the catch for the first out of the inning. Not to be outdone, Phillips made a bare-handed stop at second, tossing it to first for the second out of the inning. The out was followed by a double by Joe Mauer, the 2009 AL MVP, but it was for naught when Cueto stuck out Josh Willingham for the third out of the inning.
The Twins finished with three hits on the day from Mauer, Willingham and Brian Dozier.
Cincinnati added one run in the bottom of the sixth. Ryan Hanigan was walked to load the bases with one out in hopes to force a double play with Cueto due up next in the lineup. Cueto had different plans as the pitcher helped his own cause by batting in Rolen from third base with a ground out to the shortstop, giving the Reds a five-run lead.
Another run by Cincinnati was added to the GABP scoreboard in the eighth with Bruce leading off the inning with a two-base hit, scoring on an error by Twins shortstop Dozier for their sixth run of the game.
The Twins threatened in their half of the fifth with two base runners on a single and walk, but Cueto stomped the rally with a strikeout to end the inning.
Minnesota's Brian Duensing, making his first start of the season, was charged with the loss. Duensing (1-3) pitched into the third inning, allowing four earned runs on four hits and two walks, with one strikeout. Anthony Swarzak pitched four innings of relief, allowing one earned run on three hits and two intentional walks, while striking out two batters.
Jose Arredondo pitched in relief during the eighth inning for Cincinnati, retiring the side with two ground outs and a fly ball to center to end the inning. In the ninth, Alfredo Simon wrapped up the game by retiring three straight batters, ending the game with a strikeout of Willingham.
BOX SCORE
MIN 000 000 000 — 0 3 1
CIN 000 401 01x — 6 8 0[[In-content Ad]]