Jimenez wins duel with Garrett
CINCINNATI — Cincinnati rookie Amir Garrett turned in a dominating performance, but Ubaldo Jimenez pitched twohit ball into the eighth inning and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Reds 2-0 on Wednesday night.
Garrett (2-1) tied the Reds' modern record for a rookie left-hander by striking out 12 in seven innings; Dennys Reyes also struck out 12 against the Pirates in 1998. Gary Nolan set the club's modern rookie record by striking out 15 against Giants in 1967.
"I tried to stay as low as I could with my pitches, even if it was out of the strike zone," Garrett said. "My change-up was working very well, my slider was working well."
But Jimenez (1-0) held Cincinnati to two singles in the second inning and four walks overall in 7 innings, striking out three. It was a reversal of his first two starts, when he failed to last five innings either time. Those bad showings left him with a little urgency.
"I needed a start like that," Jimenez said. "I was able to make it sink consistently. It was flat in the first two games."
Jimenez improved to 3-0 in four starts at Great American Ball Park with a 1.30 ERA, and he is 4-0 in his last seven starts against the Reds.
Jonathan Schoop singled home a run in the second, when the Orioles put together three hits. Manny Machado hit a bases-loaded sacrifice fly in the fifth. Garrett left after throwing 97 pitches, 71 of them strikes, and giving up seven hits.
"I don't know if too many guys have had a more impressive start for a rookie than Amir," manager Bryan Price said. "He has come out of the gate throwing strikes."
Notable
Joey Votto started his 1,255th game at first base for the Reds, tying Ted Kluszewski for most in club history at that position. … The Reds struck out 16 Orioles in all, one shy of their club record for a nine-inning game. Wandy Peralta fanned three in the top of the ninth. … Cincinnati second baseman Jose Peraza extended his streak to 52 plate appearances with a strikeout since April 5, the longest active streak in the majors.