Cueto's 1-hitter for Reds beats Pirates 9-0

[May 12, 2010]  PITTSBURGH (AP) -- Johnny Cueto pitched a one-hitter for his first major league complete game, allowing only a third-inning single that went off shortstop Paul Janish's glove, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-0 on Tuesday night for their fourth consecutive win.

The Pirates' only hit was by Ronny Cedeno -- and it nearly wasn't one. Janish managed to deflect Cedeno's one-out grounder into left field, barely missing making the play.

Chris Heisey backed up Cueto's superbly pitched game with his first three major league hits, including a pair of singles and a two-run homer in the eighth against Jeff Karstens. Heisey, making his second career start, was hitless in his first seven at-bats.

Cueto (2-1) lasted as long as eight innings only once in his previous 67 major league starts, a 3-2 victory at Pittsburgh on May 3, 2009. The right-hander, who has 22 career victories, is 7-2 against the Pirates in 10 starts, winning his last five.

Pittsburgh had nothing else close to a hit as Cueto faced only one batter more than the minimum despite hitting Cedeno with a pitch in the sixth. Cedeno was thrown out attempting to steal second as Aki Iwamura struck out. Cueto struck out eight, walked none and threw 103 pitches, 67 for strikes.

The Pirates didn't do much to push up Cueto's pitch count, either, as they went down in order on only seven pitches in both the seventh and eighth. Pittsburgh lost its fourth in five games.

Cincinnati has won 11 of 15. The Reds, who were swept in Pittsburgh from April 16-18, can sweep the three-game series if they win Wednesday afternoon.

The Reds hadn't had a complete game one-hitter since John Smiley beat the Cardinals 6-0 in the second game of a doubleheader on Sept. 22, 1996. The Pirates last were victims of a one-hitter on Aug. 4, losing 6-0 to Arizona's Yusmeiro Petit.

Cincinnati had 15 hits against four pitchers as the Pirates lost by six runs or more for the 13th time in 33 games, with seven losses by eight runs or more. Cueto didn't need much support but got plenty, starting in the first when Heisey and Brandon Phillips singled, Joey Votto hit a sacrifice fly and Scott Rolen doubled in a run against Charlie Morton (1-6) to quickly make it 2-0.

Morton gave up three runs and seven hits in six innings, also allowing Ramon Hernandez's RBI double in the sixth.

NOTES: Pirates OF Ryan Church (wrist) is currently limited to pinch-hitting duties. ... The paid attendance was 9,027, but only a third of those showed up. Officially, the smallest crowd at PNC Park was 8,201 against Houston on April 25, 2007, although there have been games with far fewer in the stands. ... Cincinnati (18-15) is three games over .500 for the first time since June 11.

[Associated Press; By ALAN ROBINSON]

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