Final
Reds-Pirates Preview
Aug 4, 2010 - 5:03 AMVideo
Cincinnati (60-47) at Pittsburgh (36-69), 12:35 p.m. EDT
Johnny Cueto didn't look like himself in his last start.
Facing the Pittsburgh Pirates may be just what he needs to get back on track.
Cueto has an 18-inning shutout streak going against the Pirates, but the Cincinnati Reds right-hander will have to cool down a Pittsburgh offense coming off its best day at the plate in two weeks when the teams decide their three-game set Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park.
One of the biggest reasons the Reds (60-48) lead St. Louis by one-half game atop the NL Central, Cueto (10-2, 3.32 ERA) was 4-0 with a 0.88 ERA over his past six starts before taking the mound Friday.
He hardly had his best stuff against visiting Atlanta. Cueto made it through 5 1-3 innings, allowing four runs and a career high-tying 10 hits in Cincinnati's 6-4, 10-inning loss.
Cueto should have a good chance to win a fifth straight decision Wednesday. Of his 30 major league wins, eight have come versus Pittsburgh. He's 2-0 with a 1.35 ERA in three starts against the Pirates (37-69) this season, including a one-hitter in a 9-0 win at PNC Park on May 11.
He left after six innings with a blister on his right index finger in an 8-2 victory May 27, but extended his shutout streak against the Pirates to 18 innings.
Pittsburgh has had plenty of lifeless offensive outings against the Reds this season, as Monday's 4-0 loss was the fourth time it had been shut out. The Pirates bounced back Tuesday, getting three hits and four RBIs from Neil Walker while building a six-run lead before holding on to win 7-6.
"The guys really came out and swung the bats and scored," manager John Russell said. "We tried to let them back in it a little, but we finished it off. It was a solid win for us."
The Pirates hadn't scored more than six runs since a 15-3 victory over Milwaukee July 21. It had been 22 meetings spanning nearly a year since they last scored six against Cincinnati, a 12-2 win Aug. 22.
Tuesday's victory may have come at a price. Center fielder Andrew McCutchen, Pittsburgh's leader in runs and stolen bases, left in the second inning with a bruised neck after being hit by a Mike Leake pitch.
X-rays were negative, but McCutchen - hitting .150 (6 for 40) against Cincinnati - could miss the series finale.
Jeff Karstens (2-6, 4.42) gets the ball for Pittsburgh seeking a fourth straight quality start, but he doesn't have any wins to show for his last three. He's 0-2 with a 2.50 ERA as the Pirates have given him just three runs of support.
Karstens scattered seven hits over six innings of a 1-0, 10-inning loss Friday at St. Louis. He is 0-3 with a 6.45 ERA in six games - three starts - against Cincinnati.
While McCutchen might sit out, the Reds expect their offensive leader to return. All-Star Joey Votto, the NL home run leader, should be back after missing two games with a sore right wrist.
"Joey's feeling better, feeling a lot better," manager Dusty Baker said.
Votto is 4 for 5 with two walks against Karstens.
- Pirates 4, Reds 9 - FINAL
CINCINNATI ab r h rbi bb so lob avg
B Phillips 2b 5 0 1 0 0 1 1 .291
C Heisey cf 5 2 2 0 0 1 0 .306
J Votto 1b 4 1 2 1 1 0 0 .324
J Gomes lf 4 2 3 1 0 0 1 .273
R Springer p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -
B Bray p 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 -
vb-S Role
Aug 4 3:40 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY PEDRO ALVAREZ (8) TO RIGHT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 9TH OFF NICK MASSET.
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 9, PITTSBURGH 4
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: L MILLEDGE (.273, 0-FOR-3)
Reds 9, Pirates 4 Bot 9, 0 OutsAug 4 3:33 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
TWO-RUN HOME RUN BY JEFF CLEMENT (7) TO RIGHT WITH 2 OUT IN
THE 7TH OFF BILL BRAY SCORED RONNY CEDENO.
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 9, PITTSBURGH 3
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: A MCCUTCHEN (.287, 1-FOR-3, HR, RBI)
Reds 9, Pirates 3 Bot 7, 0 OutsAug 4 3:07 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
THREE-RUN HOME RUN BY PAUL JANISH (3) TO LEFT WITH 1 OUT IN
THE 7TH OFF STEVEN JACKSON SCORED RAMON HERNANDEZ AND
LAYNCE NIX.
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 9, PITTSBURGH 1
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J CUETO (.128, 0-FOR-2, SAC)
Reds 9, Pirates 1 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 4 2:49 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
TRIPLE BY LAYNCE NIX SCORED JONNY GOMES
SITUATION: 3 RUNS IN, L NIX ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 6
PITTSBURGH 1 TOP,7TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: R HERNANDEZ (.285, 0-FOR-2, SF, RBI)
Reds 6, Pirates 1 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 4 2:43 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY JONNY GOMES SCORED JOEY VOTTO
SITUATION: 2 RUNS IN, J GOMES ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 5
PITTSBURGH 1 TOP,7TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J FRANCISCO (.300, 2-FOR-3, RBI)
Reds 5, Pirates 1 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 4 2:40 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
DOUBLE BY JOEY VOTTO SCORED CHRIS HEISEY
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J VOTTO ON SECOND, 0 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 4
PITTSBURGH 1 TOP,7TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J GOMES (.271, 2-FOR-3)
Reds 4, Pirates 1 Top 7, 0 OutsAug 4 2:39 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
GROUND OUT BY JUAN FRANCISCO SCORED CHRIS HEISEY
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, J GOMES ON SECOND, J VOTTO ON THIRD, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 3
PITTSBURGH 1 TOP,5TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: L NIX (.278, 1-FOR-1, SAC)
Reds 3, Pirates 1 Top 5, 0 OutsAug 4 2:05 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SACRIFICE FLY BY RAMON HERNANDEZ SCORED JONNY GOMES
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, L NIX ON FIRST, J FRANCISCO ON THIRD, 1 OUT
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 2
PITTSBURGH 1 TOP,4TH
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: P JANISH (.279, 1-FOR-1, RBI)
Reds 2, Pirates 1 Top 4, 0 OutsAug 4 1:40 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SINGLE BY PAUL JANISH SCORED JUAN FRANCISCO
SITUATION: 1 RUN IN, P JANISH ON FIRST, 2 OUTS
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 1
PITTSBURGH 1 TOP,2ND
DUE UP FOR CINCINNATI: J CUETO (.135, 0 HR, 2 RBI)
Reds 1, Pirates 1 Top 2, 0 OutsAug 4 1:06 PM - NL
AT PITTSBURGH - SCORING UPDATE
SOLO HOME RUN BY ANDREW MCCUTCHEN (9) TO LEFT CENTER WITH 0
OUT IN THE 1ST OFF JOHNNY CUETO.
CURRENT SCORE: CINCINNATI 0, PITTSBURGH 1
DUE UP FOR PITTSBURGH: D YOUNG (.254, 5 HR, 25 RBI)
Reds 0, Pirates 1 Bot 1, 0 OutsAug 4 12:52 PM
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