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Volquez outduels Myers as Reds blank Phils

Jun 5, 2008 - 6:02 AM By Larry Dougherty PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

PHILADELPHIA (Ticker) -- Joey Votto broke up Brett Myers' no-hit bid in the seventh inning with a two-out RBI double to lift the Cincinnati Reds to a 2-0 win over the Philadelphia Phillies in a rare pitchers' duel at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park on Wednesday.

Reds ace Edinson Volquez (8-2) was as dominating as Myers. The Cincinnati hurler, who lowered his Major League-leading ERA to a 1.32, took a no-hitter into the fourth before allowing two singles. He did not surrender another hit while striking out eight batters in his seven innings of work.

Myers (3-7), coming off his first win in six weeks, struck out eight but walked six. Three of his walks came to consecutive batters in the fifth inning, but it was his seventh-inning walk to Brandon Phillips, that proved to be his downfall. The Reds' second baseman stole second base and came around to score the game's first run.

"I tried to put something in play, just basically trying to get the runner in," Votto said. "(I was) Looking for something I could drive, something I could do something with and I felt like I got that opportunity."

"It was a real big win," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "You throw a shutout against this club in this ballpark that is almost impossible. Volquez was awesome tonight and Myers was awesome too."

The Phillies were able to get the game's first hit with one out in the fourth when Ryan Howard singled to right. Two batters later Geoff Jenkins singled, but Volquez got Pedro Feliz to pop out to end the inning.

Volquez got into trouble in the fifth inning, this time without allowing a hit. He loaded the bases with two outs, hitting two batters and a walking another. Howard then flew out to left to end the threat.

"He has been doing it all year long," Baker said on Volquez's ability to get out of jams. "He seems to reach back and make the quality pitches when he needs them."

"There's a reason why he's basically the best pitcher in the league," Phillies catcher Chris Coste said. "When you face a guy like that, you've got to take advantage of every situation and tonight just wasn't those nights."

He retired the Phillies in order in both the sixth and seventh innings before giving way to the bullpen.

"I just tried to keep us in the game too," Volquez said on his duel with Myers. "My changeup was good tonight and my fastball was too."

Chase Utley reached base with one out on a two-base error by Adam Dunn in the eighth inning, but Bill Bray struck out Howard. Reds' closer Francisco Cordero then walked Pat Burrell before getting Jenkins to ground out to short to end the frame.

The Reds added an insurance run in the ninth inning. Phillips led off with a single, then stole second on a botched pick-off attempt. Dunn walked before Votto delivered his second RBI double.

With one out and the bases loaded, Baker decided to leave Cordero in to bat against Ryan Madson. The Reds closer grounded into a double play to end the frame.

"I was torn between, do I get some more runs in that situation or do I take my best pitcher out," Baker said. "That was a pretty easy decision at that time, especially with a two-run lead. I did not want an exciting ninth in this ballpark."

Cordero retired the Phillies in order in the ninth for his 12 save.

The one hit allowed was a career-low for Myers as a starter.

"Honestly, I didn't have the thought running through my head through the whole game," Myers said on his no-hit bid. "I didn't really care. I just wanted to make sure I kept runs off the board."

Myers has looked like a different pitcher over the last four games, where he has posted a 3.62 ERA as opposed to his 5.91 ERA he compiled over his first nine starts.

"I think location has a lot to do with it," he said. "I think I'm throwing my fastball in spots instead of making mistakes with it. I think my focus is a little bit better right now."

It was just the second loss in 10 games for the Phillies, who saw their three-game win streak come to an end.