A three-run bottom of the sixth came right on cue as the Reds handed the Nationals a 6-3 loss while winning two of three games in the series.
Third baseman Todd Frazier was one of the teammates Cueto was talking to.
“I was screaming there with him,” said Frazier, who was 1-for-3 with an RBI groundout in the first inning. “It was pretty funny. He was saying it in Spanish, but I understood what he was saying, and I just kept on laughing.”
For Reds fans clamoring for Billy Hamilton to be called up, their need for speed might be satisfied by Derrick Robinson. Called on to pinch-hit for Cueto in the sixth, Robinson slashed a single on the ground past drawn-in third baseman Ryan Zimmerman for his first big league hit to set up the winning rally.
Robinson’s speed helped create the go-ahead run, as he was trying to steal second base before seemingly flying to third on a Shin-Soo Choo single to center field. With the infield in, Xavier Paul followed with a grounder to second. Danny Espinosa fired a good throw to the plate, but the sliding Robinson’s foot touched the plate ahead of catcher Kurt Suzuki’s tag.
“I was going on the ground, anywhere in the infield,” Robinson said. “Instinct kicked in as soon as I saw it. My type of game, I’ve got to use [speed] as much as possible.”
“Speed kills,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “Usually, speed doesn’t go into a slump. It seems like there’s not as much speed as there has been in this game. I love speed.”
With two outs, Brandon Phillips sent a RBI single into left field that scored Choo, and Strasburg was finished. Against Ryan Mattheus, Jay Bruce bounced an infield single to shortstop and reached without a throw as Paul scored to give Cincinnati some breathing room. Nine batters came to the plate during the rally.
Working 5 1/3 innings, Strasburg had one of his worst starts as his six earned runs allowed were one short of his career high, and his nine hits tied a career high. He also walked four, one intentionally, and struck out five while throwing 114 pitches. Last season, the hard-throwing Strasburg was 15-6 with a 3.16 ERA in 28 starts before he reached his innings limit and was shut down a month early.
The Reds had not faced Strasburg since his much-ballyhooed 2010 rookie season.
“He was just a pitcher. He’s good, don’t get me wrong. We’re good too,” Frazier said. “We put pride in ourselves and understand it’s another pitcher out there.”
Cueto, who is 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA after two starts, allowed three runs and seven hits over six innings, with three walks and six strikeouts while throwing 108 pitches.
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