Johnny Cueto continued his mastery over the Nats. (Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
WASHINGTON — Johnny Cueto threw a two-hit shutout, Joey Votto finished a triple shy of hitting for the cycle, and the Cincinnati Reds continued their mastery of the Washington Nationals with a 5-0 win Tuesday night.
Cueto (6-5), one of five Final Vote candidates for the National League All-Star team, certainly helped his case Monday night as he struck out a season-high 11 batters, while walking one.
It was Cueto’s fifth career shutout and 11th complete game. He threw 122 pitches.
Following a lead-off triple by shortstop Ian Desmond in the fifth, Cueto fanned five straight Nationals, including Bryce Harper. He retired 15 in a row to end the game.
Votto drove in three runs as he doubled, homered and singled his first three times up. He was retired in his final two trips as the Reds improved to 5-0 against the Nationals this season.
Right fielder Jay Bruce had two hits and second baseman Brandon Phillips scored twice.
Washington starter Max Scherzer (9-7) endured his shortest outing of the season — allowing five runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings — one day after being named to the all-star team.
Taylor Jordan pitched 3 1/3 innings of scoreless relief for the Nationals.
The Reds jumped on Scherzer early.
Phillips led off the game with a single and scampered to second on an error. Votto followed with a double of the wall in right-center and the Reds led 1-0. One out later, Bruce tripled to right-center to make it 2-0.
Votto made it 3-0 when he lined a Scherzer fastball into the Nationals bullpen with one out in the third.
He struck again in the fifth when his single scored center fielder Billy Hamilton, and two batters later the Reds took a 5-0 lead, and Scherzer was done for the night.
Washington’s base running cost it a scoring chance in the fourth.
With runners on first and second, first baseman Clint Robinson grounded to Phillips. Phillips went toward Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, who was running from first.
Ramos stopped and Phillips threw to first for an out. Perhaps thinking he had been called out for running out of the baseline, Ramos remained stalled momentarily, and Votto threw down to second where Wilson was tagged to complete the double play.
NOTES: Cincinnati RHP Michael Lorenzen (3-3, 3.58 ERA) opposes LHP Gio Gonzalez (6-4, 4.16 ERA) in the series finale Wednesday night. … The Reds announced they will call up LHP David Holmberg from Triple-A Louisville to start Thursday at Miami in place of RHP Josh Smith, who was optioned to Double-A Pensacola on Monday. … Washington CF Denard Span, who left Monday’s game due to back spasms, was not in the starting lineup Tuesday. He underwent an MRI exam, but the results weren’t immediately announced. … Nationals 3B Yunel Escobar, who left Monday’s game because of left hamstring tightness, also sat out Tuesday. He is day-to-day.
