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Reds adhere to winning formula

Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips (4) is congratulated by Jerry Hairston Jr. (15) and Joey Votto (19) as Phillips crosses the plate during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Phillips hit a two-out, three-run home run scoring Hairston and Votto as the Reds defeated the Marlins 7-0.

Associated Press photo Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips (4) is congratulated by Jerry Hairston Jr. (15) and Joey Votto (19) as Phillips crosses the plate during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Florida Marlins on Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami. Phillips hit a two-out, three-run home run scoring Hairston and Votto as the Reds defeated the Marlins 7-0.

Cincinnati Reds' Edinson Volquez of the Dominican Republic delivers a pitch against the Florida Marlins during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami.

Associated Press photo Cincinnati Reds' Edinson Volquez of the Dominican Republic delivers a pitch against the Florida Marlins during the first inning of a baseball game Tuesday, May 5, 2009 at Dolphin Stadium in Miami.

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By Hal McCoy, Staff Writer Updated 12:21 AM Wednesday, May 6, 2009

MIAMI — On a hot muggy night in south Florida, the Cincinnati Reds displayed what manager Dusty Baker and general manager Walt Jocketty talked about all winter as the team's driving mechanism.

It has nothing to do with a Big Red Machine and everything to do with a Little Red Wagon.

And here is where it came from during a 7-0 victory over the Florida Marlins.

Pitching: Edinson Volquez.

Manufactured runs: Two stole bases set up the first two runs.

Defense: Chris Dickerson, Jerry Hairston Jr. and Ramon Hernandez made textbook defensive plays.

After all these components constructed a 4-0 lead, then Brandon Phillips applied the exclamation point in the seventh with a three-run home run, giving him six RBIs.

"That's the way you win," said Baker. "Then throw in a long ball to break the game open."

Joey Votto was on base five times and Phillips drove him home twice, plus they walked Votto intentionally in front of Phillips before his home run.

"It makes you think when they walk a guy in front of you," said Phillips. "I would have done that same thing, but I wanted to show them, 'Don't do that again, please.' It opened up my eyes and I said, 'Wow.' "

Of Phillips big night, Baker said, "We've been waiting on Brandon and he's been waiting on Brandon."

Phillips knows that the way they won Tuesday is the way the team is supposed to win and said, "There is a reason this team is put together ther way it is. We have speed, defense and guys who can put the ball in play."

Volquez did his part with quickness and dominating force — eight innings, no runs, three hits, four walks, seven strikeouts, victory No. 4. He is working on a string of 16 1/3 straight scoreless innings and has given up five hits.

And Reds pitchers have four shutouts in the last six games and Phillips said, "I believe in our rotation and our pitchers. We have future All-Stars."

Florida pitching coach Mark Wiley wasn't impressed, he was overwhelmed.

"This guy is like Pedro Martinez in those couple of years when he was outstanding and you couldn't touch him," said Wiley. "He made career .300 hitters look like they'd never swung a bat before and this guy did that tonight against us."

Volquez says he has backed off on his fastball enough to make certain he throws strikes to cut down walks.

"I'm just trying to go deeper in games and go deeper into games," said Volquez. "I'm just trying to be more aggressive in the zone — first pitches for strikes, attack the hitter."

And he believes in his peers and said, "We have one of the best rotation in the league and if we stay together we'll keep winning."

Offensively, it began in the first inning when Hairston walked, stole second and scored on a single by Votto.

It surfaced again in the third with another walk, this one to Votto, who also stole second and continued to third on a throwing error, from where he scored on a Brandon Phillips single.

Defensively, left fielder Dickerson made a picture book diving catch of a line drive in the second. And with John Baker on first in the fourth, Hanley Ramirez doubled to deep left center. Baker tried to score, but was out when Hairston took center fielder Willy Taveras' relay throw and fired home, where Hernandez made a diving tag.

More smallball surfaced for the Reds in the fifth — single by Taveras, infield hit by Hairston, walked to Votto and a two-run single by Phillips.

And the Reds did their damage with no extra base hits against Marlins righthander Chris Volstad, owner of a 2-0 record and a 2.67 ERA when festivities began.

It enabled the Reds to return home with a 3-2 road trip for a five-game homestand — two against Milwaukee beginning tonight and three this weekend against division-leading St. Louis.

"Another getaway win (the Reds are 5-1 on days they are leaving town) and another winning road trip," said Baker. "This win united us. If you are going to be a good team you have to bounce back from tough losses (3-2 in 14 innings Tuesday) and certainly Tuesday was a tough loss. But you wouldn't know it by the way the guys played tonight."

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I attended this game. I am still in shock to think the Marlins have not only been to the World Series but won it twice since the Reds have even appeared. In a city with over 3 million people, about 4,000 show up for a major league baseball game. By the 14th inning more than 50% of the remaining 500 fans were Reds fans.

Big H
8:50 AM, 5/7/2009

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I'm so hacked off with Dusty Baker. Nix keeps tearing the cover off the ball, and Dusty won't reward him with a start. I'm so hacked off. Dusty should count his days as manager. He's lost me.

dmcgee77
10:17 PM, 5/6/2009

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Does anyone know if and when the Reds lead baseball with the lowest ERA? I've been following the Reds since 1965 and I can't think of anytime.

Dave
4:15 PM, 5/6/2009

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The Reds are playing Dusty Small ball..The Redslegs are getting Excellent pitching,Good defense & baserunning,Timely hitting...Keep it up and they will keep winning..::))

JUDE
1:33 PM, 5/6/2009

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I was proud to see the way the bullpen pitched in Monday nights game. My biggest concern had been Lincoln, but he pitched well Monday. I don't like the move to pull him in place of Herrera. Lincoln's curve is insane! St. Louis comes to town Friday. I can't wait. This series will be a true measure of where we are at. We can win on the road, but can we win at home?

Billy
12:58 PM, 5/6/2009

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