Volquez pitches Reds past Giants

Published 12:00 am Monday, April 28, 2008

The Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO — Edinson Volquez is one of the few Cincinnati pitchers who hasn’t had to worry about run support this season. When he’s been on the mound, the Reds score in bunches.

Volquez struck out a career-high 10 in seven innings, Brandon Phillips homered twice and the Reds used a six-run first inning to rough up Barry Zito in a 10-1 win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday.

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It was the fourth time in five starts by Volquez that the Reds have backed him with at least eight runs. Each time, the Cincinnati right-hander was won.

‘‘I didn’t even throw one pitch in the game and I looked at the board and saw six runs,’’ Volquez said. ‘‘When you get some runs early you’re like, ’It’s easy today. Just go out there and do what you do.’’’

Volquez (4-0) allowed one run and five hits to win his third consecutive start, and Ryan Freel’s two-run single keyed the six-run first inning for Cincinnati. Freel later doubled and scored as the Reds won consecutive games for the first time in more than two weeks.