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Y! MyWebCINCINNATI 7, COLORADO 6
Reds' Volquez has solid outing in losing cause
Sunday, August 24, 2008
DENVER — Dusty Baker calls it, "The Cy," and everybody around baseball knows that can only be the Cy Young Award. And the Cincinnati Reds manager entertains long-shot hopes that Edinson Volquez is in the running for the National League Cy Young.
Volquez should have won his 16th game Saturday night, Aug. 23, in Coors Field, enhancing his credentials, but the bullpen did him wrong in a 7-6 Cincinnati defeat.
He turned a 4-3 lead over to the bullpen, but Mike Lincoln gave up three straight singles in the seventh and Nick Masset's first pitch was drilled for a three-run double by Matt Holliday.
Volquez gave up three runs and six hits over six innings and with likely seven more starts this season, he is in position to become Cincinnati's first 20-game winner since Danny Jackson won 23 in 1988, although a victory Saturday would have made it much easier.
"I'm trying to keep Volquez close to the 'Cy,' even though it's an outside shot," Baker said. "I want him to keep that 'Cy' in sight. He says it's no big deal, but it's a big deal for me because it would be a big deal for him."
It would be a monumental upset at this juncture because Arizona's Brandon Webb is 19-4, while Tim Lincecum, also pitching for a bad team (San Francisco) is 14-3.
And Volquez's opponent Saturday, Hamilton native Aaron Cook, is a candidate, too, with his 15-9 record.
As per usual, Paul Bako is caught as Baker continues to use the veteran catcher for Volquez and Johnny Cueto.
"Bako has been doing a good job with the kids, and especially the way those kids have been throwing to him," Baker said. "And Cueto has been throwing outstanding, too, with Bako, so Bako will get tonight and tomorrow (with Cueto), and we'll give the kid (rookie Ryan Hanigan) a couple in Houston."
Bako did Volquez no favors in the second inning when the Reds led 1-0. Colorado had runners on first and second with two outs. Cook stunned everybody by dropping a bunt up the third-base line.
Bako pounced, but his throw was a cloud-scraper into right field and both runs scored for a 2-1 Colorado lead, which stretched to 3-1 in the third.
The Reds tied it in the fourth when Rockies manager Clint Hurdle permitted Cook to pitch to Jay Bruce with runners on second and third with one out — with Corey Patterson (.193) and Bako (.213) batting behind him.
Bruce singled for two runs, then the Reds took the lead in the sixth on three straight singles, including Joey Votto's third hit, his third straight game with three hits.
Baker was asked if he liked what he has seen from Hanigan and he said, "Oh, yeah. He gives a good target, he is in the ballgame, he calls a real good game. And he studies, you know?"
Last week, Baker affectionately called him, "A down-and-dude."
Asked if Bako's work with Volquez and Cueto made him a candidate to return next year, Baker said, "Yeah, I think so.
"Whoever our catcher is, especially if it is Hanigan, Bako would be like (Chicago's) Henry Blanco. He's made all the difference in the world helping (rookie) Geovany Soto. That's down the line, so we'll get that when we get there," Baker said.
Volquez created his own mess in the fourth when he issued back-to-back walks before Cook's two-run bunt. And Volquez needed 40 pitches to get through that inning, assuring himself of a short night.
When his pitch count reached 103 after six innings, it was shower time — with a 4-3 lead.
"That's going to happen," Volquez said of the bullpen meltdown. "I don't get mad. They don't want to give up runs."
They gave up runs because neither Lincoln nor Masset could keep the ball down. Both were up in the zone.
"We just couldn't keep the ball down," Baker said. "Lincoln needed to get a double play, but couldn't, and neither could Masset. He got it up, too. You can't mess with Matt Holliday with the bases loaded. We've escaped it a couple of times, but sooner or later he is gonna get you.
"These guys can hit, and they're dangerous in this ballpark," Baker added. "You try to stay away from the big inning, but that's what got us in the eighth (four runs)."
Baker wanted dearly to get Volquez that 16th win, but said, "It's tough to throw 40 pitches in the second inning. That's a lot, and you know that is going to come back to get you."
Volquez isn't giving up on the magic 20, though.
"That would be great, to win 20 in my first full season," he said. "It would be good for me and good for the team, too."
