Johnny Strikes Out the Band. CIN 6, PIT 0.

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

In his 3rd start back after his DL stint, Johnny Cueto shut down one of the hottest teams in baseball in near record fashion. Cueto threw 8 nearly spotless innings, yielding just one hit, one walk, and one HBP while striking out 6 Pirates hitters. Cueto's fantastic outing lowered his season ERA to a sparkling 2.17, and he's seemingly reassuming his roles as both team ace and Cy Young contender.

It's great to have you back, Johnny.

Honorable Mentions are due to several Reds bats. Brandon Phillips feasted on LH starter Wandy Rodriguez, and he finished his evening with a 2 for 4 night that included 3 runs scored, a HR, but only one run P-Doc'd in from the cleanup spot. Slacker. Jay Bruce also deserves some dap for his HR off of Wandy since he'd entered the game just 2 for 32 against the lefty, and the Reds RF finished 2 for 4 with a HR and a walk. Derrick Robinson also deserves some merit, as the unsung, overlooked, easily dismissed OF continued the torrid start to his Reds' career with a 1 for 4 performance that included an RBI single and a bases loaded walk.

Key Plays

• Tonight's game featured more zeros through the first 3 innings than Bluto's GPA, but Jay Bruce changed that in the Top of the 4th. Bruce wanged a hanging Wandy honker over the wall in right-center, and in the process may have exorcised the demons he'd faced with Wandy over the last 5 years. Bruce is crushing all lefties this season, even those who have routinely dominated him. Stay tuned, folks, but Bruce just might be on the verge of that breakout season we've all hoped for. Reds led, 1-0.
• In the Top of the 6th, Brandon Phillips hit a worm-burning HR that barely cleared the wall in LF, but cleared it nonetheless. Mike Zagurski came in for Wandy in the Top of the 8th, and he promptly Zalinski'd a Sandusky. BP was hit by a pitch, Bruce singled to move him to 3B, and Zagurski then tossed a wild pitch that allowed BP to score and Bruce to move to 2B. After a Todd Frazier walk, Robinson singled to score Bruce. Reds led, 4-0.
• The Reds tacked on even more insurance in the 9th, as Zagurski was brought back on to face them and, well, didn't do so hot. Joey Votto walked and moved to 2B on another wild pitch, BP singled to move Votto to 3B and then advanced to 2B on yet another wild pitch, Bruce walked, Robinson walked, and Hanigan walked to score the 2nd run of the inning. Sam LeCure came on to close out the 9th, and that was that. Reds win, 6-0.

Über Amazing FanGraph Section

<iframe src="http://www.fangraphs.com/graphframe.aspx?config=0&static=0&type=livewins&num=0&h=450&w=450&date=2013-05-31&team=Pirates&dh=0" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" height="450" width = "450" style="border:1px solid black;"></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:9pt;">Source: <a href="http://www.fangraphs.com/livewins.aspx?date=2013-05-31&team=Pirates&dh=0&season=2013">FanGraphs</a></span>

Other Notes

• Tonight, as usual, Johnny was a good pitcher.
• Tonight, as he is wont, Johnny struck out the band.
• Tonight was Johnny Cueto's 13th win against the Pirates, which is the most vs. any opponent he's faced. He's beaten the Cubs 8 times in his career, which is good for 2nd on this list of completely irrelevant statistics.
  
• Hey! AC Slider! Do you have anything you'd like to say to P-Doc about irrelevant statistics?
• It's Funky Friday! So funk you! And funk you! And funk you for saying that that wasn't funk! You're cool. And funk you, I'm out!

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