Volquez Snaps Yanks 7 Game Winning Streak

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E
Cincinnati	0	1	0	0	3	0	0	0	0		4	10	0
N.Y. Yankees	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	0		2	8	1

Rising start Edinson Volquez and his Reds team ended the Yanks 7 game winning streak tonight, with a 4-2 win at The Stadium. Mike Mussina starter for the Yankees and pitched well. Had it not been for a defensive blunder by Johnny Damon he would have pitched even better, but I'll get to Damon's miscue later. Mussina lasted 8 innings, and gave up 4 runs on 10 hits, while walking 2 and striking out 4.

Now to Damon's blunder; Edwin Encarnacion led off the inning with what should have been an easy play in left, but Damon lost the ball in the lights and it ended up as a lead off double. The Reds ended up scoring 3 runs in the inning and taking a 4-1 lead. In his post game interview Mussina did not blame Damon, but I do. Had he made that play the entire inning, and game plays out completely differently.

One thing Mussina was angry about was having to intentionally walk Jay Bruce with a man on 3rd and 2 out in the 5th with the score tied at one. After the walk Jolbert Cabrera, who was already 2-for-2, hit a 2-run double and Ken Griffey Jr. followed with an RBI single to make it a 4-1 game. “I didn’t get to choose. It was the path they chose. That was it,” Mussina said. “You saw what I saw. Held up four fingers; I throw four balls.” I could understand if there was 1 out and Girardi wanted to set up the double play, but with 2 outs it made no sense to put another runner on base for a guy who was already 2-for-2. Oh, and did I mention that Bruce was 8 of his last 43 when he came to the plate. It's just another one of Joe Girardi's moves that leave you scratching your head.

Anyway, after Mussina was done Billy Taber took over and pitched a 1-2-3 9th.

	IP	H	R	ER	BB	SO	HR	ERA
Mussina (L, 10-5)	8.0	10	4	4	2	4	1	3.93
Traber	1.0	0	0	0	0	1	0	3.86

REDS PITCHING

If there was any doubt whether Edinson Volquez was the real deal or not, that was put to bed tonight. The kid is the real deal. He's got a 95+ fastball with movement, a great changeup, and a decent curve ball. In 7 innings pitched he allowed 2 runs on 7 hits, while walking 1 and striking out 5. The first run came on an RBI single by Johnny Damon in the 3rd, and the second run came on a Robinson Cano RBI single in the 7th.

After that the Reds' bullpen held the Yankees in check. The Yankees did get the tying run to the plate in the 9th, but couldn't do anything with it.

Jason Giambi, who had been on fire, is now 0 for his last 12 with 5 strikeouts, maybe he's due for another cycle.

	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	SO	LOB	AVG
Damon, LF	4	0	1	1	0	1	0	.330
Jeter, SS	4	0	1	0	0	1	0	.276
Abreu, RF	4	0	0	0	0	0	0	.274
Rodriguez, 3B	3	1	1	0	1	1	0	.335
Matsui, DH	4	0	2	0	0	0	1	.324
Giambi, 1B	4	0	0	0	0	1	4	.254
Cano, 2B	3	0	2	1	0	0	1	.232
Cabrera, CF	3	1	1	0	0	1	3	.253
Molina, C	2	0	0	0	0	0	1	.218
a-Betemit, PH	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	.250
Moeller, C	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.262
Totals	32	2	8	2	1	5	10
a-Flied out for Molina in the 8th.
BATTING TB: Damon; Jeter; Rodriguez; Matsui 2; Cano 2; Cabrera. RBI: Damon (34), Cano (25). 2-out RBI: Cano. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Cano; Cabrera. GIDP: Cabrera. Team LOB: 4. BASERUNNING SB: Rodriguez (9, 2nd base off Volquez/Bako). CS: Jeter (2, 2nd base by Volquez/Bako), Damon (6, 2nd base by Volquez/Bako).

RED OFFENSE

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Edinson Volquez (7 IP, 7 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 5 K)

HONORABLE MENTION: Jolbert Cabrera (2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2B, R) and Joey Votto (3-for-4, 2B, HR, RBI, R)

GOATS OF THE GAME: Johnny Damon for missing an easy play in left which turned the game around, and Joe Girardi for having Mussina walk Jay Bruce for no apparent reason.

The Yanks look to even the series tomorrow afternoon at The Stadium. Dan Giese makes his first start as a Yankee, and he will face off against Daryl Thompson who will be making his major league debut. First pitch: 1:05 p.m. - TV: YES - Radio: WCBS 880