Rollins' 3-run HR lifts Phillies past Reds

By JOE KAY

AP Sports Writer

Associated Press Sports

updated 4:11 p.m. ET Sept. 3, 2012

CINCINNATI (AP) - The rain was coming down. Johnny Cueto felt uncomfortable on the muddy mound. Jimmy Rollins wasn't going to give him a chance to get his calm back.

Rollins swung at the first pitch and hit a three-run homer during a cloudburst on Monday afternoon, sending Philadelphia to a 4-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds that featured the Phillies' young pitchers.

And Rollins, of course.

Cueto (17-7) was trying to become the major leagues' first 18-game winner. He had a perfect record in day games, going 11-0 in 13 afternoon starts this season. When rain fell hard in the fifth inning, it all came apart.

Rollins hit a first-pitch change-up that Cueto left over the plate.

"The mound was getting slippery," Cueto said, with a team trainer translating. "It was slippery the pitch before (Rollins' homer). When it rains you expect that. It's not an excuse."

Rollins' 17th homer made it 3-1 and gave him 1,999 career hits.

"He challenged Rollins and Rollins hurt him there," manager Charlie Manuel said.

John Mayberry Jr. added a solo homer off Cueto, who had allowed two in a game only one other time all season. It was only the fifth time in 28 starts that Cueto allowed as many as four runs.

Rookie right-hander Tyler Cloyd (1-1) got his first major league hit and win, figuring in the outcome a couple of ways.

With relatives and friends in the stands, the 25-year-old pitcher gave up four hits, including Jay Bruce's 30th homer, and struck out nine in seven innings. It was an improvement over his debut last week, when he gave up three runs in six innings of a 3-2 loss to the Mets.

"I was just trying to have a little better outing than my debut," Cloyd said. "Today I felt a lot calmer, a little more relaxed."

Jonathan Papelbon warmed up before the ninth - Manuel said he wanted to throw a little bit - but got a day off after allowing a three-run homer to Chipper Jones a few hours earlier that sent the Braves to an 8-7 win in Atlanta.

Papelbon had pitched four of the last six days, so Manuel was determined not to use him.

Instead, right-hander Phillippe Aumont came on to start the inning and gave up Bruce's two-out, RBI single. He retired Todd Frazier on a weak grounder to end the game and get his first major league save.

Aumont warmed up before the eighth and didn't expect to get a chance to try for a save.

"They called down and I thought sure it was (for) Pap," he said. "They told me. My knees kind of buckled. Then I kind of regrouped and did the same thing I've been doing at (Triple-A) Lehigh. Just keep it simple.

"There's definitely a little more adrenalin. I had plenty out there. It just went up a little more."

The Reds returned from a 5-1 road trip that gave them control of the NL Central. The next chore was to move Cueto one win closer to 20 victories, a mark no Cincinnati pitcher has reached since Danny Jackson in 1988.

Cueto allowed only a pair of singles through the first four innings. Steven Lerud and Cloyd had two-out singles in the fifth, when the remnant of Hurricane Isaac brought a short burst of rain. Cueto walked around the infield, trying to clear the mud from his cleats between batters.

Rollins hit the first pitch into the right field stands, ending Cueto's streak of no more than two runs allowed in any of his last four starts. The grounds crew came out and spread a drying material around the mound.

Mayberry extended his hitting streak to five games with his 14th homer an inning later.

Cloyd gave up Bruce's homer in the second inning, then allowed only one other runner to reach second base. Cloyd has taken the rotation spot of Vance Worley, out for the rest of the season with an elbow injury.

Notes: The Reds will promote RH Todd Redmond and RH Pedro Villarreal from Triple-A Louisville on Tuesday. ... Manager Dusty Baker said players getting September call-ups shouldn't expect to play much right away. "Right now, these kids here are here to help us," Baker said. "It's not like last year when they were here to see what they could do. If we do clinch this thing, then I could play them some." ... Only three Phillies have reached the 2,000-hit mark - Mike Schmidt (2,234), Richie Ashburn (2,217) and Ed Delahanty (2,207). ... Ryan Howard had a 13-pitch at-bat against Cueto in the fourth before grounding out.

---

Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

advertisement

More news

Rays tighten AL East race

??James Shields pitched eight strong innings to outlast CC Sabathia and light-hitting Chris Gimenez drove in two runs Monday, helping the Tampa Bay Rays beat the New York Yankees 4-3 and further tighten the AL East race.

Orioles stay hot, keep heat on Yanks

TORONTO (AP) - Joe Saunders and three relievers combined on a three-hitter, J.J. Hardy drove in two runs and the Baltimore Orioles beat the Blue Jays 4-0 on Monday.

Source: http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/48887373/ns/sports-baseball/

Snooki Baby terrell owens terrell owens neil armstrong chris christie little league world series us open tennis