Johnny Cueto shines as Cincinnati Reds defeat San Francisco Giants 3-0 - MLB Update
After losing ten of their last eleven road games, the Cincinnati Reds finally managed to nip their losing streak with a 3-0 triumph over the San Francisco Giants in the first match-up of the four-game series at AT&T Park on Thursday, July 9.
The Reds’ right-hand starter, Johnny Cueto designed this much-needed victory for his club. He went for no-score on four hits, permitted only two walks and struck-out eight batters over seven innings to help his club earn their 33rd overall success in 2011.
The 25-year-old Dominican after pitching his seventh start for a third win, received complete support from the batters and the later pitchers. As the game was scoreless until the top of the fourth inning, the Reds’ Jonny Gomes blistered an RBI single off
the Giants’ starter Madison Bumgarner.
The score was 1-0 at the end of the fourth inning and it remained there for the next four innings but in the top of the eighth inning Gomes touched another RBI single to improve the lead to 2-0. In the top of the ninth inning, Brandon Phillips scored an
RBI single to elevate the lead to 3-0 but he regarded Cueto’s performance as the best one in the game.
He said. "Johnny Cueto has been lights out this year. I wish his record were better than what it was. We just have not given him many runs lately. We did a better job today.... He's becoming one of the best pitchers in the league."
Not only was Phillips impressed with Cueto, but the Reds’ manager Dusty Baker also commented on his performance as an outstanding one.
A jubilant Baker told reporters, "He threw an outstanding ballgame. He got out of trouble twice with a runner on third. That is big to do that with strikeouts. He's turning into that kind of pitcher."
The Reds’ sizzling performance did not end with the Cueto’s spell instead reliever Nick Masset and closer Francisco Cordero followed the same path set by Cueto and did not give any hit over their one inning spell.
Bumgarner, on the other hand, despite allowing only one run and taking seven batters over seven innings again failed to nip his losing streak. Until now, the 21-year-old left-hand ball thrower has lost eight games in 2011 while he has managed to win only
two games. However, he is still optimistic about his remaining games.
"We have a good team and they all support me so I'm not going to worry about it," Bumgarner said. "I don't expect them to apologize. Hitting is the hardest thing to do. I think we will be fine. We are still in it. It's not like we're out of it."
He might have won this game but the batters and the relievers did not provide him the perfect back up. Relievers’ Santiago Casilla and Guillermo Mota each gave a single while batters remained helpless against the Reds’ pitching depth.
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