CINCINNATI -- Maybe the Reds have found their formula for success. Just let Johnny Cueto pitch and bring Chris Heisey in for some late-inning heroics.
That's not a feasible plan of action for an entire season but it has worked out well the last two times Cueto has taken the mound.
Cueto was Cueto again on Saturday, allowing the New York Mets just one run on six hits in seven innings, and he got just enough offensive help from his teammates to earn win No. 17 of the season, 2-1, at Great American Ball Park. Todd Frazier hit a solo home run in the sixth inning to tie the game. Heisey, pinch hitting for Cueto with two outs in the seventh inning, drove the first pitch he saw from Mets starter Dillon Gee into the left field stands for what proved to be the deciding run.
Heisey had two home runs last Sunday at Pittsburgh to account for all of the Reds' runs in a 3-2 win at PNC Park. That was the last time Cueto had pitched. That was the last time the Reds had won a game.
"The thing with Johnny is he's such a great competitor," said Heisey, who now has four pinch hit homers this season and 10 for his career. "We got behind early, he gave up that run. He wasn't as sharp as he'd like to be early on, they had some really good tough at-bats but he finds a way to keep us in the ball game every time. Even when he doesn't have his best stuff or command he just competes. He's upset at himself when he's not pitching well. He comes in and he's cheering for his teammates and he wants to win. That's what you want out of a guy, especially your ace and he's an ace."
To say that the second half of the season has been tough for the Reds belittles the situation, but there is nothing belittling about what Cueto means to this team. He's now 17-8 on the season with a 2.23 ERA. At 214 innings pitched, he's just three innings shy of his career high set two seasons ago. Each strikeout -- he had eight on Saturday to up his season total to 213 -- adds to his career best.
Cueto entered Saturday's game leading the National League in innings pitched while ranking second in wins, ERA, complete games, strikeouts and opponents' batting average at .195. When opponents put the ball in play against Cueto they still are hitting just .237, the third-lowest average in all of baseball according to FanGraphs.com.
What all of those stats add up to is: When Cueto pitches, the Reds have a chance to win. They are 19-11 in his 30 starts this season. The Reds are 7-3 in Cueto's starts since the All-Star break. They are just 9-28 otherwise.
"You've always got to bring the same energy," said Cueto through interpreter Tomas Vera after the game. "You've always got to keep your head up. You've always got to come back with the energy, and thank God the team backed me up. I've got to back them up and I have to do it for them."
Cueto had a hiccup in the second inning. He gave up a leadoff double to Travis D'Arnaud, a ball that just missed leaving the stadium in center field, and then a RBI single to Dilson Herrera to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. Wilmer Flores followed with a double that put runners on second and third with one out. Cueto got out of the jam by getting pitcher Dillon Gee to fly out to short left field and then striking out Juan Lagares.
He then retired 13 in a row before the Mets put together a two-out rally in the sixth with a second double by D'Arnaud sandwiched around walks to Lucas Duda and Curtis Granderson that loaded the bases.
That's the way they remained as Cueto struck out Herrera swinging to end the inning.
"I wanted to face that hitter," said Cueto. "I mean strike him out and get out of the inning. Yes, that's what I wanted."
Frazier's 25th home run of the season in the bottom of the inning tied the game.
Cueto had 101 pitches under his belt when he went back to the mound for the seventh inning. That's a no-no for most managers but it's nothing new for Bryan Price this season when it comes to his ace. Cueto tossed a perfect inning and ended the game with 116 pitches. It was his 26th quality start of the season but also the 20th time he's gone at least seven innings and the tenth time he's allowed one run or less.
That's high quality.
"What a competitor. What a battle he put out there because they were on him early," said Price. "He's a guy that makes the most of what he's got and today it was two runs and he made that enough for the win."
Cueto should get four more starts this season, which would give him an opportunity at 20 wins. The Reds haven't had a 20-game winner since Danny Jackson won 23 games in 1988. Jackson lost out to Los Angeles' Orel Hershiser that season for the Cy Young Award. Clayton Kershaw, another Dodger, is the odds-on favorite to win the award this season but Cueto deserves to be in the conversation.
As disappointing of a season as this has been for the Reds, try thinking of it without Cueto.
