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Volquez strong as Reds hold off Yankees

Jun 21, 2008 - 3:43 AM By Zachary Braziller PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BRONX, New York (Ticker) -- Not even the red-hot New York Yankees could solve Edinson Volquez on Friday.

The flame-throwing 24-year-old righthander was strong and Joey Votto swatted his 12th homer of the season as the last-place Cincinnati Reds posted a 4-2 victory over the Yankees in their first game in here since sweeping the 1976 World Series.

"It's a great way to start a road trip," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "Especially when you got Edinson on the mound. That's probably one of the best games he's thrown."

Before leaving the game with a dislocated left index finger, Jolbert Cabrera had four hits and two RBI and Ken Griffey Jr. added a run-scoring single for the Reds, who snapped their third five-game losing streak of the season and ended the Yankees' seven-game win streak.

"We were freezing cold so were due to win one soon, and they were due to lose one here soon," Baker said. "Volquez was the primary reason. He threw the ball great tonight, and we got enough hitting and enough runs scored to beat them."

Jared Burton threw a perfect eighth, and Francisco Cordero earned his 14th save in 17 opportunities with a scoreless ninth, ending the game by retiring Jason Giambi, who represented the tying run.

Baseball's ERA and strikeouts leader entering the contest, Volquez (10-2) delivered seven fine innings, striking out five and allowing two runs and seven hits to claim his 10th victory. Amazingly, his ERA rose from 1.64 to 1.71.

Obviously, the ominous specter of his first Yankee Stadium start didn't bother the precocious star.

"I feel great tonight," he said, smiling. "It's a good stadium, a lot of fans, and New York, big city. I just try to do the best I can."

New York veteran Mike Mussina (10-5) took the loss to snap a personal four-game winning streak. He allowed four runs and 10 hits in eight innings while striking out four and walking two.

"I had to hold them to one or no runs; I didn't," Mussina said. "He's a tough pitcher, been tough all year. We knew that."

The Reds broke open the pitchers' duel in the fifth, striking for three runs - all with two outs. With Edwin Encarnacion on third, Yankees manager Joe Girardi opted to intentionally walk phenom Jay Bruce. Cabrera made him pay.

The 25-year-old shortstop laced the first pitch he saw from Mussina down the left-field line, plating two runs.

"I was trying to get it in; I didn't get it in enough," Mussina said. "The fifth inning bothered me. I had chance to beat that guy, and he had good stuff, real good stuff."

On the very next pitch, Griffey singled home Cabrera, who eluded the tag of catcher Jose Molina with a deceiving slide to the far corner of the plate despite right fielder Bobby Abreu's throw arriving in plenty of time.

The Yankees - aside from Johnny Damon's run-scoring single in the third - couldn't do much again Volquez. They did put runners on in each of the first five frames but couldn't drive them in until Robinson Cano singled home Alex Rodriguez in the seventh.

With the tying runs aboard, however, Volquez whiffed Melky Cabrera with a low change-up to end the threat and put a fitting bow on his first Yankee Stadium start. As he dashed off the mound, Volquez pumped his fist and smiled at Cabrera, his countryman and friend.

"He told me after the game," Volquez said. "He's going to call me about my change-up."