Leake Terrific as Reds Blank Pirates Again.

The Reds 5th starter in the rotation continues to impress as Mike Leake continues his stretch of great pitching as he was able to contain the Pirates in a 2-0 Reds win on Saturday night in Pittsburgh. The Reds have shutout the Pirates the first two games of their three game set in Pittsburgh.

Leaks was outstanding going 6 innings, allowed 7 hits, one walk and five strikeouts. He is proving the doubters wrong as he lowered his season ERA by his start tonight to under three who would have thought that  going into the season? I know I didn’t he’s a different pitcher since Tony Cingrani came up a month ago and put pressure on him and he’s been able to deliver great stuff.

Reds bats were swinging and missing as Pirates starter Francisco Liranio struck out  11 battters in 6 innings at one point he struck out 7 straight batters. Despite all of that he got the loss as the Reds did just enough and the Pirates remain quiet in this series’ thanks to great starting pitching by the Reds.

The first run of the game was scored in a crazy sequence in the fourth inning. Zack Cozart beat out a little nibbler to the mound. He advanced to second on a groundout. Then, Brandon Phillps checked a swing that rolled to second and he barely beat the toss to first by Liranio with a head first slide. Meanwhile, Cozart kept running and was able to score the first run of the game.

In the eight inning Joey Votto singled to center up the middle with one out for a RBI single scoring Choo to make it 2-0. Phillips left the game after the top of eighth inning as he was hit by a pitch on his arm got x-rayed it was negative the diagnosed was a bruised arm contusion. Aroldis Chapman labored a bit in the ninth but was able to get the save.

With the win Reds are now 15-14 on the road and with a chance to do what the Pirates did a month ago that is sweep the series. What better pitcher to have on the mound to hopefully deliver the sweep than Mat Latos. First pitch tomorrow is at 1:35pm there expecting rain in Pittsburgh lets hope than can play.