Time for a recap of tonight’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Cincinnati 3
Chicago 0
WP: Cueto (1-1)
LP: Lilly (2-1)
S: Cordero (6)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Easily Johnny Cueto’s best outing of the year. Seven innings, 4 hits, no runs, 3 K…and most importantly, Cueto didn’t walk a single batter. His stuff was simply electric tonight. Not to mention, he even went 2-2 at the plate.
–Joey Votto muscled another double that scored a run. He’s so money and he doesn’t even know it.
–Jay Bruce is really starting to turn it around. He hit another homer tonight, went 2-4, and Jeff Brantley was correct on the radio: his ABs just don’t look the same as they did before the injury. He is much more patient, not swinging at as much junk.
–Edwin Encarnacion did nothing in the cleanup spot, but he was great in the field. Made a couple of very nice plays.
NEGATIVES
–Offense, can’t score, yadda, yadda, yadda. As noted in the game thread, Cueto and Aaron Harang have started six games. The Reds have scored a total of 9 runs in those games.
–Not too many negatives, otherwise. Fairly well-played game from the Reds side.
ETC.
–If it weren’t for the young stars on this team (Cueto, Votto, Bruce), where would the Reds have been tonight?
–Brandon Phillips got two hits tonight after being dropped to 6th in the order (and after failing to get a hit in 22 ABs). You really have to hope that he’s about to go on one of his patented tears.
–David Weathers is still my hero, but he’s just not as much fun if he doesn’t walk the bases loaded before getting that third out.
–CoCo became the 11th pitcher to get 100 saves in both leagues. In case you needed to know that. (More trivia: 5 of those 11 pitchers have been members of the Cincinnati Reds organization. Do you know who they are?)
–The Reds have guaranteed a winning road trip. How often have we been able to say that in recent history? Not often.
–Look at the post directly below this one. Yes, I predicted Cueto’s great start. Clearly, I have amazing powers.