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CINCINNATI, Ohio -- When Johnny Cueto starts for Cincinnati, Wilson Valdez knows the Reds might not need much offence. Tre Boston Jersey . The veteran utilityman drove in the tying run and scored the go-ahead run to back Cuetos gritty pitching as the Reds wrapped up one of the best homestands in franchise history with a 2-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. "You know Johnnys not going to give up many runs," said Valdez, acquired by Cincinnati from Philadelphia in an off-season trade. "You know you might only have to score a couple of runs." Cueto (12-5) matched his single-season career high in wins and lowered his ERA to 2.23 to lead the Reds to their eighth victory on the 10-game homestand. Its only the fifth time in franchise history that Cincinnati posted at least eight wins on a home stand of 10 or fewer games. The last time was in 1975, when the Reds went 8-1 on a homestand. First-place Cincinnati sandwiched three-game sweeps of NL Central Division-rivals St. Louis and Milwaukee around a split of a four-game series against Arizona and maintained its lead over Pittsburgh in the division. The Reds, who lead the Pirates by a half-game, are 5-2 since learning that All-Star first baseman Joey Votto needed arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus in his left knee. Manager Dusty Baker would prefer a perfect homestand, but hell take what he got from this one, which boosted the Reds a season-high 15 games over .500 (55-40). "We got off to a great start with the sweep of St. Louis and got a great end with this sweep," said Baker, who savored sweeping division foes. "Thats real big. You know you can pick up ground or lose ground." Milwaukee manager Ron Roenicke was chagrined about being swept in a series the fourth-place Brewers considered to be crucial for staying in the race. "Its not a good time to lose three games to these guys," he said. "It was a disappointing weekend. This sure set us back. When youre behind three teams, its hard to catch up." Cueto (12-5) overcame a 30-pitch first inning, which ended with Milwaukee leaving the bases loaded, to complete seven while throwing 117 pitches. He gave up eight hits and one run with one walk. He tied his season high with nine strikeouts and capped his day by getting NL home run-leader Ryan Braun to fly out to centre field with two outs and the potential tying run on third in the seventh inning. "I felt really well," Cueto said through interpreter and assistant trainer Tomas Veras. "I was aggressive on every pitch. In the first inning, I threw a lot of pitches. I was trying to throw fewer pitches after that. I always want to go into the seventh or the eighth inning." Logan Ondrusek pitched the eighth inning. Aroldis Chapman allowed a two-out walk to pinch-hitter Carlos Gomez, who stole second, before Chapman earned his 17th save by striking out Braun. Neither team hit a home run, snapping the streak of consecutive games in which at least one homer was hit at Great American Ball Park at 74. It was the longest active streak in the majors. Milwaukee took a 1-0 lead in the third on Norichika Aokis leadoff double and, after strikeouts by Nyjer Morgan and Braun, a run-scoring opposite-field single to right-centre by Aramis Ramirez. The Reds capitalized on pitcher Mike Fiers throwing error to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the inning. Chris Heisey singled with one out, stole second, and scored on Wilson Valdezs single to right-centre field. Valdez went around to third on Fiers errant pickoff attempt and scored on Brandon Phillips sacrifice fly to centre. Valdez was going to third from the start, he said. "I was going to take a chance," he said. "They have to have perfect execution. They have to get to the ball, they have to pick up the ball, they have to get into position to make the throw, and they have to throw the ball." Fiers (3-4) lasted six innings, allowing five hits and two runs -- one earned -- with four strikeouts. He also hit a batter. "Its frustrating," Fiers said. "Youre trying hard to win. You get tired of losing. We didnt score a lot of runs, but Im trying to keep Valdez close, and throw the ball away. I feel like we should still be playing." NOTES: The Reds are 26-13 against Milwaukee over the last two seasons and 17-6 against the Brewers in Cincinnati over the last three seasons. ... RHP Mat Latos, who allowed a career-high 10 hits in his last start against Houston on April 29, gets a chance to improve on that when he faces the Astros on Monday at Minute Maid Park in the first game of Cincinnatis seven-day, six-game road trip. ... LHP Randy Wolf is scheduled to start for Milwaukee in the opener of a three-game series at Philadelphia. Wolfs win in his last start on Tuesday against St. Louis was his first in 13 starts since April 30. Panthers Sam Mills Limited Jersey . Hank Conger homered and drove in a career-high five runs to power the Los Angeles Angels to a 9-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon. Panthers Greg Hardy Authentic Jersey . Diaz. LAS VEGAS -- Nick Diaz didnt want to talk about pulling off the biggest win of his UFC career Saturday night.NEW YORK, N.Y. - Mike Napoli hoped Masahiro Tanaka would make a mistake. The New York Yankees ace sure did — he twice shook off his catcher, then threw a pitch the Boston slugger could handle. Napoli stung Tanaka by hitting a solo home run with two outs in the ninth inning, lifting Jon Lester and the Red Sox over the Yankees 2-1 Saturday night. "What an idiot!" Napoli was heard exclaiming on Fox television microphones as he high-fived teammates in the dugout. Napoli later said he didnt mean any disrespect, adding he was "surprised" Tanaka didnt throw his tremendous split-finger fastball. Napoli had struck out in his previous two at-bats, was down 1-2 in the count this time and was having all sorts of trouble with Tanakas diving splitter. "He had me where he wanted me," Napoli said. Tanaka, however, preferred to throw a fastball. Napoli lined it the opposite way, into the first row of the seats in right field. Napoli, who also homered off Tanaka at Fenway Park in late April, raised his right arm as he rounded first base and clapped his hands as headed for second. Tanaka, the top winner in the majors and the AL ERA leader, turned to watch the ball sail, twisting his body when it cleared the wall. "It was the worst thing I couldve possibly done," Tanaka said through a translator. Tanaka wanted to take a different approach than catcher Brian McCann. "He asked for a splitter and for a slider, and I shook off both of them," he said. Tanaka said he intended to throw a fastball out of the strike zone to set up a breaking ball. Instead, Napoli hit it out of the park. His third home run in five games, and 10th shot overall, flew far enough reach the short porch. "Power hitters are going to have the ability to hit to all fields. We all know that right field here is not very forgiving," Red Sox manager John Farrell said. "Last night, they hit one in the first row. Tonight, we did." The Red Sox won for just the third time in nine games. The victory made the defending World Series champions 37-44 at the midpoint of the season — its the first time since 1997 that Boston has been under .500 at the halfway mark. Lester (9-7) held the Yankees hitless until the sixth. He gave up an unearned run and five hits in eight innings, striking out six and walking two. Koji Uehara pitched a perfect ninth for his 17th save in 18 chances. Tanaka (11-3) allowed seven hits in a complete game, striking ouut eight and walking one. Panthers Luke Kuechly Camo Jersey. The Yankees lost for the fifth time in seven games. Tanaka dropped consecutive starts for the first time in the majors. The matchup between Lester and Tanaka shaped up as a pitchers duel, and it certainly was. Lester improved to 13-6 lifetime against the Yankees, including a loss to Tanaka in Boston on April 22. Lester and Uehara came through for a Red Sox team that has scored three runs or fewer in 12 of its last 14 games. Napoli did his part, too, tagging Tanaka. "He pitched pretty well to Nap all night," Lester said. "Im guessing Nap put a pretty good swing on that ball right there. Luckily, were in Yankee Stadium and not anywhere else and that ball goes out." An odd sequence ended the Yankees eighth. Jacoby Ellsbury tried to steal second with two outs and the fans cheered when catcher David Ross throw skipped into centre field. As Ellsbury headed toward third, however, the crowd began to realize strike three had already been called on Mark Teixeira. Earlier in the inning, second baseman Dustin Pedroia made a nifty pickup and glove flip to start a double play on Derek Jeter. Ross homered in his second straight game, launching a drive far over the left-field fence in the third. Tanaka muttered to himself as Ross rounded the bases. Lester, who threw a no-hitter against Kansas City in 2008, held the Yankees hitless until Brett Gardner bounced a leadoff single up the middle in the sixth. Lesters bid was extended with two outs in the fifth when Yangervis Solarte was called out on a video review, taking away an infield single. Pedroia opened the next inning with a single, and tried to test the arm of Ellsbury, his former teammate. The Yankees centre fielder made an accurate throw and Pedroia was called safe, but he was ruled out after New York challenged the umpires decision. The Yankees scored in the third when Brian Roberts reached on shortstop Stephen Drews error, Solarte was hit by a pitch, Gardner sacrificed and Jeter had an RBI grounder. NOTES: Of Bostons last 14 games, 10 have been decided by one run. The Red Sox are 6-4 in those games. ... The Red Sox are 26-26 at the new Yankee Stadium. ... Boston OF-INF Mike Carp (right foot) has started his rehab assignment at Triple-A Pawtucket. ... Yankees LHP CC Sabathia (right knee) made his first rehab start, pitching 2 1-3 innings for Class A Tampa and giving up two runs on three hits and a walk vs. Dunedin. ' ' ' |
