Cueto strong in narrow victory over Nationals

Two-run double by Phillips and decent relief pitching help righty beat lowly Washington

Cincinnati Reds' starter Johnny Cueto pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, June 9, 2009, in Washington.

Associated Press photo by Manuel Balce Ceneta Cincinnati Reds' starter Johnny Cueto pitches during the first inning of a baseball game against the Washington Nationals, Tuesday, June 9, 2009, in Washington.

ENLARGE PHOTO

Cincinnati Reds' Johnny Cueto bunts and grounds out to Washington Nationals catcher Wil Nieves as the ball bounces and hits Cueto during the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, June 9, 2009, in Washington.

Associated Press photo by Manuel Balce Ceneta Cincinnati Reds' Johnny Cueto bunts and grounds out to Washington Nationals catcher Wil Nieves as the ball bounces and hits Cueto during the second inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, June 9, 2009, in Washington.

ENLARGE PHOTO

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 7:36 AM Wednesday, June 10, 2009

WASHINGTON — Hard rain, thunder and lightning dominated the skies over the nation's capital, delaying the start of the Cincinnati Reds-Washington Nationals game by an hour and 47 minutes in Nationals Park.

Fortunately for the Reds there is little lightning and even less thunder in the Nationals batting order and the Reds recorded a 3-2 victory, the Nationals' 41st defeat against only 15 wins.

That left the Reds, St. Louis and Chicago all tied for second place in the NL Central, 2 ½ games behind Milwaukee.

Johnny Cueto invited disaster in the first inning, putting four runners on base and throwing 27 pitches, but none scored and he was the master the rest of the way, giving up one run and four hits in seven innings to win his sixth game and lowering his ERA to 2.33.

"We were both trying to figure out their hitters in the first inning," said catcher Ryan Hanigan. "We had our scouting report, we had our plan. But we both learned their approaches and then tried to get on the same page, get smart. He made some mistakes in the first inning. His pitches were a little up.

"It was just a matter of getting a feeling as to how we were going to get these guys out," Hanigan added. "After the first inning we had a better feel for it."

A two-run double by Brandon Phillips in the fifth provided the runs Cueto needed as the Reds did what they are supposed to do — beat baseball's worst team (barely this night).

After the first inning, Cueto gave up only two hits, a third-inning home run to Elijah Dukes and a seventh-inning single to Wil Nieves.

Cueto had one of his Wild Thing periods in the first inning when the Nationals had four baserunners — and didn't score.

Cristian Guzman led with a single and was part of a double play started by diving shortstop Alex Gonzalez. Ryan Zimmerman singled and Cueto walked the next two, filling the bases.

He went to 3-and-1 on Willie Harris then struck him out.

Nationals starter Ross Detwiler struck out the first two Reds in the second, then made the mistake of walking Jay Bruce. Singles by Alex Gonzalez and Hanigan made it 1-0.

Hanigan, as he does so often, punched his single to right field and said, "Two-out hits are huge and tonight we had two of them. Against lefthanders I always try to go that way — I don't want to give away my approach here — but I do try to hit the ball where it's pitched."

Dukes tied it for the Nationals in the fourth by driving his sixth home run, a blast that landed in the Reds bullpen in left center.

Gonzalez led the fifth with a double and Cueto draw a one-out walk. Detwiler nearly got out of it by striking out Willy Taveras, but he walked Jerry Hairston Jr. to fill the bases and Phillips shot a two-run double just inside the first base bag for a 3-1 Reds lead that stood the test of time.

Arthur Rhodes replaced Cueto in the eighth and gave up a leadoff home run to Guzman, slicing the lead to one.

Closer Coco Cordero closed it off in the ninth and he is about as automatic as a garage door opener — 15 saves in 15 opportunities.

"After the first inning, Cueto was working ahead," said Hanigan. "It was strike one, then work from there. He attacks and pounds the zone. He has two types of fastball, a slider, a changeup and he uses them all and he doesn't make too many mistakes over the middle."

Manager Dusty Baker said he feared the Nationals might tie it and send the Reds into their third straight extra inning game, something he certainly didn't want after the game's start was delayed.

"We had some fine defensive plays, though," he said. "It got a little hairy there, but our guys came through and I'm glad they didn't tie it up tonight or everybody might have been asleep.

"Cueto pitched great, we picked up a game in the standings and it was a great way to start a road trip," he added.

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