Volquez Lights Out, Reds 3-0

Volquez was absolutely dominant last night, so why shouldn't he commission a charicature of himself throwing a bolt of lightning. The answer is there is no reason he shouldn't do that. The artist forgot the lettuce coming coming out from under his hat and the face looks more like a black Abe Vigota, but at least the team colors are right.

Volquez's start was so good, my description of it is carrying into a second paragraph. Contrasted with his Atlanta start, where he became the first pitcher in '09 to walk 5 batters in one inning, his control was impeccable. Only one walk over his 8 innings and that was of the very dangerous Jason Michaels so that he could get to the virtually free out of Berkman. That guy's never hit Reds' pitching. If the offense wouldn't have taken so long to score one run against Doug Brocail, we likely see Volquez out there for the 9th. He's usually thrown 106 pitches through five innings and Dusty's running him back out there for the 6th. He'll just have to do that next time.

The offense, other than superstar Laynce Nix, didn't show a whole lot again. Rosales did knock in a couple of runs in his first start of the season, to thunderous applause. Phillips, after finally showing signs of coming out of his dreadful start, was sitting on the bench, which seemed curious. But Dusty proved to be one step ahead of me, saving Phillips for the 8th inning with runners on. He delivered by lining out weakly to second to end the inning. Dusty has thought everything through. Just because he a player regularly hits a ball hard for the first game all season doesn't mean he isn't very tired and in need of a break. And conversely, just because a batter is 0 for 40 doesn't mean that he won't be out there every day, killing the team with runners on base. That's what makes Dusty the genius he is and everyone else, especially those who question him, stupid. Nice win team, have a nice trip. Reds! Reds! Reds!