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CINCINNATI, Ohio -- That playoff loss in Pittsburgh last year? Johnny Cueto never thought about it much. So getting a chance to shut out the Pirates in a rematch wasnt any more special. Not to him, anyway. Cueto pitched his third career shutout against the team that beat him in the NL wild card game, and Joey Votto hit a two-run homer that led the Cincinnati Reds over the Pittsburgh Pirates 4-0 Wednesday for their first winning series this season. Cueto (1-2) had his way with the lineup that beat him 6-2 at PNC Park in the playoffs. He limited the Pirates to three hits, didnt walk a batter and struck out a career-high 12 during his first shutout since 2011. Any extra satisfaction given what happened the last time he faced them? "I never think too much about those things," Cueto said, with assistant trainer Tomas Vera interpreting. "That was 2013." And Cueto is starting to look more like a vintage ace. He started only 11 games last season because of strained muscles by his pitching shoulder. The right-hander has been solid this season but hasnt gotten much help from an offence that scored only one run while he was on the mound during his first three starts. Cueto didnt need much help on Wednesday, putting the Pirates away with 107 pitches. "Welcome back, Johnny Cueto," manager Bryan Price said. "Hes been great his first three starts, and he was dominant today. It was nice to win our first series. Pittsburgh is a handful." Several Pirates questioned called third strikes by Quinn Wolcott, a Triple-A umpire called up to the majors. Eight of Cuetos strikeouts were called. Maybe it didnt mean anything extra to Cueto, but his teammates got some satisfaction from beating the Pirates. "For us to come together the way we have, especially against the team that beat us in the playoffs, its a lot of fun," third baseman Todd Frazier said. After the NL Central rivals combined for 13 homers while splitting the first two games, Votto supplied the one that broke open the deciding game. Left-hander Francisco Liriano (0-3) opened the game by walking Billy Hamilton, who stole second base and came around on two wild pitches. That was it for scoring until the seventh inning, when Cueto singled and Votto hit his fourth homer in six games. Brayan Pena doubled home a run in the eighth. Liriano and Cueto also were matched in the wild card game last season. Liriano got the better of that one, going seven innings for the victory while Cueto failed to make it through the fourth. Liriano had trouble at the outset on Wednesday. Ten of his first 13 pitches were balls. He walked Hamilton and Votto opening the inning, then threw the two wild pitches that let in the run. The Ohio River rivals had a bruising series last season, with 28 batters hit overall -- the most for any series in the majors. Its been mostly pain-free so far, with only two batters hit during the series. Pirates left fielder Jose Tabata left the game in the fifth inning with what appeared to be a mild concussion after he slammed into the outfield wall while catching Penas fly ball. Tabata fell, held up his glove to show hed caught the ball and sat on the warning track for several minutes. A trainer examined Tabatas neck, jaw and head, and he was helped off the field. "You talk about laying out and making a catch and hitting the wall hard," Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "I was just glad he was able to walk off. Well see how it feels tomorrow." NOTES: The Pirates completed their first trip of the season at 3-6. They open a four-game series against Milwaukee on Thursday, with Edinson Volquez starting against Yovani Gallardo. ... The Reds concluded a 3-3 homestand. Theyre off on Thursday before opening a 10-game trip at Wrigley Field. Alfredo Simon starts against the Cubs Jeff Samardzija. ... Reds closer Aroldis Chapman is to throw in the bullpen for the second time on Thursday. The Reds are hoping to have him back from a head injury next month. ... Cueto was called for interference twice while trying to bunt. The first time, he ran out of the box to bunt the ball. The second time, he stood in the box and blocked catcher Tony Sanchez from fielding the bunt. . Bryant underwent an operation in December to correct an irregular heartbeat. His season ended with four games left because of a rapid heartbeat, a condition he has known about for several years and had been treated for in the past. .Commissioner Adam Silver said Wednesday it is inevitable that the league will one day take after European sports and have sponsor names on team jerseys. . For Sweed, a second round pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2008, this will be his second go around in the CFL after previously having spent time with the Saskatchewan Roughriders. . The Brazilian international goalkeeper was beaten twice in the first 12 minutes of his Reds debut in a 3-1 preseason loss to Columbus Crew in Florida earlier this week. . Huntelaar also had a penalty saved by Wolfsburg goalkeeper Diego Benaglio. The two goals brought Huntelaars total for the season to 18, level with Bayern Munichs Mario Gomez for most in the league.The Toronto Maple Leafs were feeling good about a season-best six-game winning streak, but that ended with back-to-back losses against Carolina and Philadelphia this week. The task doesnt get any easier with a visit to Jonathan Toews and the Chicago Blackhawks tonight. What we need to realize in that streak where we were winning, we were working for the full 60 minutes, said center Peter Holland, who scored after having an assist in each of his previous two games. It wasnt just happening by fluke. The Leafs now prepare to hit the road, where theyve lost three of four. Were not far removed from playing some really good hockey, Holland said. We dropped two games in a row, thats going to happen over the course of a season. We just need to make sure that were ready to respond and play solid road games. Holland scored the winner 2:21 into the third period of a 3-2 home victory over Chicago on Nov. 1. Toronto has won the last two meetings after dropping eight in a row. James Reimer made 45 saves against the Blackhawks last month, and he could be in net again after coming on Saturday for 10-plus minutes in relief of Jonathan Bernier, who has started the last three games. Corey Crawford returned Saturday with 17 saves after missing Chicagos previous eight with an ankle injury suffered when he fell at a concert. Crawford stopped 24 shots in the first meeting with Toronto, and Quenneville could elect to start his No. 1 goaltender on back-to-back nightts due to the amount of time hes had off.dddddddddddd Antti Raanta has won his last four starts with a 2.00 goals-against average and would get the nod if Crawford doesnt start. Jonathan Toews and the Blackhawks have come a long way since their early struggles, putting together a hot stretch that has lasted over a month. Chicago seeks its eighth consecutive home victory Sunday night against a Toronto club that has lost two straight heading into a seven-game trip. The Blackhawks (22-9-2) werent pleased with their 6-5-1 start as they struggled to find their scoring touch with each defeat coming by a single goal. Theyve bounced back nicely and ran off a season-best eight straight victories while winning 10 of 11 before falling 3-2 in a shootout at Columbus on Saturday. Chicago dominated a good portion of that contest, though, and outshot the Blue Jackets 41-19. I thought we did everything but win that game, coach Joel Quenneville said. We played well in all areas of the game and did a lot of good things. Toews called the loss unfortunate, but wasnt upset with the effort - something he couldnt always say early on. Only two of their defeats have come by more than one goal. We believe were a good team (and) we should be in every game, Toews said. Its the sign of a mature team, something we didnt do enough of early in the year. We know we have some firepower and when its a close game, more often than not we can find a way to win. ' ' '
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