Besides the requisite going for a win on Monday against the Cubs, Reds pitcher Mat Latos had other equally important tasks charged to him. Namely, Latos was needed to pitch efficiently and go deep in the game one night after his team’s bullpen was taxed in a 13-inning contest.
All three boxes could be checked off, as Latos pitched brilliantly for eight innings and 94 pitches in a 2-0 win over the Cubs. The outing was supported by the night’s lone offense via Brandon Phillips, who hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh.
“Our bullpen was tired and overpitched and coming off of an extra-innings game yesterday,” Reds manager Dusty Baker said. “Big Latos gave us exactly what we needed.”
The Reds have won five of their last six games and closed their deficit to 4 1/2 games behind the first-place Pirates in the National League Central, and 1 1/2 games behind the second-place Cardinals.
Latos, now 12-3 with a 3.04 ERA in 24 starts this season, gave up six hits and hit a batter while striking out nine. He gave way to closer Aroldis Chapman in the ninth, who struck out the side for his 28th save.
“Walt [Jocketty, the Reds’ general manager] came over to me yesterday and said, ‘We need nine shutout innings from you.’ I begged for that ninth inning,” Latos said. “But we’ll give it to one of the best closers in the game and finish it off.”
Eight of nine shutout innings aren’t bad. They overshadowed a good performance by ex-Reds lefty Travis Wood, who also worked a season-high eight innings. Wood is 0-3 with a 3.67 ERA in four starts vs. the Reds.
Save for hitting Welington Castillo with a 0-1 fastball to start the Cubs’ second inning, Latos did not have another baserunner through his first 4 2/3 innings. Chicago’s first hit came on Donnie Murphy’s two-out lined single to left field in the fifth.
Darwin Barney followed with a lined single to right field, but Latos got Wood to fly out to end the inning.
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