Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto allowed one hit over eight innings to cool down the red-hot Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0. Cueto (3-0) struck out six, walked one and allowed just three balls out of the infield. Brandon Inge provided the lone Pirates’ hit with a single to left with one out in the fifth.
“He looked really good tonight, though, like the Johnny Cueto of old,” Cincinnati manager Dusty Baker said. “He had great stuff, great stamina and he really pitched a heck of a ballgame.”
Jay Bruce and Brandon Phillips hit solo home runs for Cincinnati off Pittsburgh’s Wandy Rodriguez. Joey Votto walked twice to push his National League-leading total to 46.
Pittsburgh finished May 19-9, the franchise’s best record in a calendar month since September 1992. The two teams meet again tomorrow with Pittsburgh’s Francisco Liriano taking the mound against Cincinnati’s Mike Leake.
