WASHINGTON -AP- Johnny Cueto pitched a two-hitter with 11 strikeouts, Joey Votto homered and drove in three runs and the Cincinnati Reds beat Max Scherzer and the Washington Nationals 5-0 Tuesday night.The potential pitching duel between Cueto and Scherzer never materialized. Cueto kept up his end -- retiring the final 15 batters in his first complete game of the year -- but Scherzer struggled from the outset.One day after being named to the NL All-Star team, Scherzer (9-7) gave up five runs and seven hits in 4 2/3 innings, his shortest outing in more than a year. 
The five runs were more than the right-hander allowed in his previous four games combined, a stretch that included a no-hitter and a one-hitter.Votto was the main culprit. He doubled in a run in the first inning, hit a solo homer in the third and added an RBI single in the fifth.Cueto (6-5) threw 122 pitches in his 11th career complete game. It was the 30th start in the last two seasons in which the right-hander allowed no more than two runs over at least seven innings.Cueto is among the candidates vying to earn a spot on the All-Star roster via a final vote from the fans, and this performance certainly didn't hurt his bid.Jay Bruce had two hits and an RBI for the Reds, who will try for a 6-0 sweep of the season series Wednesday night.Scherzer gave up two runs before getting two outs. After Brandon Phillips opened the game with a single, Votto hit an RBI double and scored on a triple by Bruce.Votto made it 3-0 in the third with his 15th home run, a drive that soared over the right-field wall into the Washington bullpen.Cincinnati used an RBI single by Votto and a sacrifice fly by Todd Frazier to chase Scherzer in the fifth. He entered the game with a 1.82 ERA and left at 2.12.
The five runs were more than the right-hander allowed in his previous four games combined, a stretch that included a no-hitter and a one-hitter.Votto was the main culprit. He doubled in a run in the first inning, hit a solo homer in the third and added an RBI single in the fifth.Cueto (6-5) threw 122 pitches in his 11th career complete game. It was the 30th start in the last two seasons in which the right-hander allowed no more than two runs over at least seven innings.Cueto is among the candidates vying to earn a spot on the All-Star roster via a final vote from the fans, and this performance certainly didn't hurt his bid.Jay Bruce had two hits and an RBI for the Reds, who will try for a 6-0 sweep of the season series Wednesday night.Scherzer gave up two runs before getting two outs. After Brandon Phillips opened the game with a single, Votto hit an RBI double and scored on a triple by Bruce.Votto made it 3-0 in the third with his 15th home run, a drive that soared over the right-field wall into the Washington bullpen.Cincinnati used an RBI single by Votto and a sacrifice fly by Todd Frazier to chase Scherzer in the fifth. He entered the game with a 1.82 ERA and left at 2.12.
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