Game 85: A Good Way to Head to the Break.

Cueto Get's 10th Win.  Bruce, Ludwick Go Deep. Bullpen Finishes it Off.

Reds      4   10   0   (47-38)
Padres   2    7    0   (34-53)

By Ryan Bramwell

• Johnny Cueto was not sharp today.  But he got the win.  In 5 2/3 innings, he threw 108 pitches, allowed two runs on five hits, struck out five, and walked two.
• The Reds scored the majority of the runs off back-to-back bombs from Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick in the 4th inning.  Bruce's came with a runner on and was good for two runs, his 55th and 56th runs batted in.  He had just missed a homer earlier in the game when he sent one to the warning track in the deepest part of the ballpark.  Ludwick tried to one-up his teammate in the next at-bat when he cruised one into the second deck at his old home in PETCO.  He launched that ball.  Back-to-back homers, Bruce and Ludwick.
• The Padres scored one-apiece in the 5th and 6th innings off Cueto to cut the lead to one run which led to a call to the pen.  Sam LeCure got us out of the inning, but not easily.
• Brandon Phillips came to bat at an important point in the 7th and after a hard battle at the plate, he was able to muscle a ground ball between the fielders at first and second base to knock in an insurance run.
• LeCure began the bottom of the 7th but needed help from Sean Marshall, who was once again called upon by Dusty Baker.  I fretted this move after seeing Marshall last night.  Sean had some problems tonight as well but was able to get himself out of a major jam in the 8th inning and get us off the hook for good.
• Chapman seems to be back in "beast-mode" as he struck out two in the 9th to pick up his 11th save and finish out the Reds longest, and most likely, toughest stretch of games for the remainder of the season.  
• The Reds were awfully poor tonight with runners in scoring position.  We got the win.  But listen to this:  Team Left-on-Base, 12.  Team With Runners in Scoring Position, 1-for-15.  That would and should result in a loss 90% of the time. Luckily, we held the Friars to 1-for-9 with RISP while leaving 10 men on base themselves.

The Redlegs finished the dreaded the west coast road trip with a 6-5 record.  We went through the rotation two full times (10 games) and recorded a quality start (6 innings, 3 earned runs or less) every time in consecutive fashion.  Tonight, Cueto missed making it 11 quality starts by one out.  He pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two runs.  The Reds have not had ten consecutive quality starts since 1994, when they were in first place in the NL West before the players' strike began and ended a promising season.  The following season, the Redlegs were moved into the newly formed NL Central where they finished in first place in the division's inaugural year.

Cincinnati goes to the All Star Break at 47-38, nine games over .500.  We are one-game behind division-leading Pittsburgh.  A shocker indeed.  But I'd rather be behind the Bucco's than the Cardinals or Brewers.  Only because I can't see the Pirates continuing at the pace they are going right now.  It is great to see them winning again, but as long as they are in the NL Central, they are an enemy.  No matter how you slice it, we should be happy with our record at the break and the performances we've gotten from some of our guys.  We come back from the break on a homestand which starts with Cardinals.  If you really want to talk about enemies of the Reds, you talk about these fools.