Time for a recap of tonight’s titanic struggle….
FINAL
Arizona 0
Cincinnati 1
WP: Cueto (8-4)
LP: Garland (4-8)
S: Cordero (19)
BOX SCORE
POSITIVES
–Smilin’ side of the scoreboard!
–How about Johnny Cueto? Give him a big lead, like the Reds did each of his last two starts, and he’ll cough it up. Give him Harangesque run support, and he pitches a gem. Cueto walked four of the first eight batters of the game, but then began dominating a terrible Arizona lineup, as he should. He gave up just one hit over six innings, striking out 8.
–The bullpen was dominating once again, giving up just one hit (by Arthur Rhodes). Francisco Cordero and some other guy pitched scoreless, hitless innings. Good stuff.
–CoCo has been simply outstanding this season. I still wonder whether the Reds should have devoted so much of their limited budget to a closer, but I really, really like Cordero. He now has 19 saves, with a 1.91 ERA. I have to believe that he and Cueto are the Reds two most likely All-Star picks.
–Submitted without comment: Chris Dickerson had two hits from the leadoff spot, including a double, and scored the Reds only run.
–Joey Votto and Ramon Hernandez also had two hits. Votto had the lone RBI, and Hernandez also gunned down a runner at second. Very nice.
NEGATIVES
–TOS* The Reds continue making bad pitchers look like Cy Young.
–Jay Bruce had what appeared to be a pretty boneheaded baserunning move late in the game. Looks like he could have scored a second run for the good guys, but he hesitated on a ball hit to the outfield that really had no chance of being caught by the D’backs.
ETC.
–Boy, Arizona is just awful. It’s what made last night’s disgraceful performance more frustrating.
–I love the Cueto we saw tonight. Too bad it took that performance to win because the pathetic ofense.
–Of course, he had us a bit worried in the second inning, when he grabbed his lower back and Dusty Baker brought the trainer out to check on him. Cueto stayed in the game, though, and was even better after that. Let’s hope this is the last we hear of back problems for Cueto.
–It’s been mentioned in several comments, but I hadn’t actually put it in a post yet: Drew Sutton has been recalled from AAA, and Jared Burton has been sent to Louisville. I like Burton, he’s one of my favorite Reds, but I’m really glad to see the Reds cut bait on the ridiculous 13-pitcher roster construction.
–How about Joey tonight? (Send me photoshops of other Reds in a sombrero, and I’ll use them!)
*This Offense Stinks.