Reds vs. Cardinals: RHP Johnny Cueto vs. RHP Lance Lynn
By Jesse Borek
Cincinnati Reds (61-65) vs. St. Louis Cardinals (68-57)
RHP Johnny Cueto (15-6, 2.06 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, .183 OAV) vs. RHP Lance Lynn (13-8, 2.91 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, .242 OAV)
Wednesday, August 20, 2014: 7:15 p.m. at Busch Stadium
As has been the story throughout most of the regular season in 2014, Cueto gets the ball having to perform the role of stopper. In order to keep the Reds from being swept out of Missouri, they will need their Cy Young candidate to bring his ace stuff to the hill, especially considering the horrendous state the bullpen is currently in.
His only appearance against St. Louis this season came back on March 31, Opening Day. Cueto went seven innings and allowed only a solo home run to catcher Yadier Molina, whose shot served as the only offense of the game for either club.
In his career against the Cardinals, Cueto is a pedestrian 4-5 with a 4.40 ERA in 16 career starts. Although, the ERA number is skewed due to two atrocious starts in his rookie season of 2008 and another one in 2010 that skyrocketed the number. With the current role Johnny Beisbol is on, it may not make a difference how any specific team or batter has fared against him in the past.
Having made 13 road starts this season, only two have been of the non-quality variety, one coming on May 20 against Washington and the other on July 20 against New York. With today being August 20, can Cueto overcome the quirky coincidence that has seemingly befallen him in 2014?
Here is the lineup he will face via the team’s Twitter account:
3B – Matt Carpenter (1-for-6, 2 K’s)
CF – Jon Jay (10-for-21, 1 2B, 3 HR, 7 RBI, 2 K’s)
LF – Matt Holliday (9-for-30, 3 2B’s, 5 RBI, 5 BB’s, 5 K’s)
1B – Matt Adams (2-for-3, 1 2B)
SS – Jhonny Peralta (2-for-11, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 4 K’s)
C – A.J. Pierzynski (1-for-4, 1 HR, 1 RBI, 1 K)
RF – Oscar Taveras (yet to face Cueto)
2B – Daniel Descalso (2-for-8, 1 K)
P – Lance Lynn (yet to face Cueto)
In the midst of what could be argued as his best single-season as a professional yet, Lance Lynn is just hitting his stride. He has not allowed more than three runs in any start since June 28. Only one of those eight starts since has not been of the quality variety.
Lynn’s first two starts of the season both came against the Reds—neither of which was a quality start. Not that he was too troubled by that, considering he managed to pick up the win in spite of his lack of dominating performance.
At home in Busch Stadium, he possesses a 2.83 ERA for his career to go along with a 26-11 record. Beating Lynn is difficult in the first place, but having to do it on the road proves to be quite the task. In eight career starts against Cincinnati, he has lost only once.
Here is the lineup he will face via the team’s Twitter account:
CF – Billy Hamilton (1-for-6, 1 RBI, 2 K’s)
RF – Jay Bruce (9-for-19, 2 HR, 8 RBI, 2 3B’s, 1 2B, 6 K’s)
1B – Todd Frazier (3-for-18, 2 HR, 2 RBI, 10 K’s)
LF – Ryan Ludwick (1-for-6, 2 RBI, 2 K’s)
C – Brayan Pena (2-for-3)
2B – Brandon Phillips (7-for-23, 2 2B’s, 5 RBI, 5 K’s)
3B – Ramon Santiago (1-for-2)
SS – Zack Cozart (6-for-23, 2 HR, 3 RBI, 1 2B, 2 K’s)
P – Johnny Cueto (yet to face Lynn)
Losers of four consecutive games since Cueto’s last time on the hill, the Reds are practically pleading their ace to deliver them a stellar performance. With the cloud of uncertainty covering the status of Aroldis Chapman’s health, one would be safe to assume that Cueto has his eyes on going the full nine innings when he takes the mound at 7:15 later this evening.