Reds 6, Twins 1

The Reds beat the Twins 6-1 Thursday before a crowd of 3,085 at Ed Smith Stadium.

Jerry Gil's three-run, opposite field home run was the key hit. Seven Reds pitchers limited the Twins to an unearned run on the five hits.

"Everybody we put out there looked good," Dusty Baker said. "No walks. That's a beautiful thing."

Starter Matt Belisle and Josh Fogg went two innings each. Kent Mercker, David Weathers, Francisco Cordero, Mike Stanton and Mike Lincoln pitched an inning each.

Gil's impressed early.

"That young man has skills," Baker said.

Gil, however, left the game after pulling up while trying to beat out an infield hit. He probably won't play today."

Play-by-play:

First pitch: 1:09, 57 degrees, not a cloud in the sky. Matt Belisle pitching for the Reds.

Twins 1st: Carlos Gomez 3 unassited. Brendam Harris, former Red and much discussed on the blog last year, F9. Nice play by some kid named Jay Bruce on slicing line drive. Joe Mauer bounced a single through the middle. Michael Cuddyer Foul 3.

Reds 1st (Scott Baker pitching): Norris Hopper F9. Ryan Freel singles to center. Brandon Phillips grounds into fielder's choice. Should have been a double play. Harris' throw to first was bad. Edwin Encarnacion strikes out.

Twins 2nd: Jason Kubel singles. Craig Monroe singles. Mike Lamb L6. Garrett Jones grounds into a 3-6-1 DP.

Reds 2nd: Bruce singles. Andy Phillips singles on the hit-and-run. Bruce to third. Juan Castro flies to right -- too shallow to get Bruce in. Javy Valentin hits into a 6-4-3 DP.

Belisles's done: 2 IP, 3 hits. Josh Fogg's in.

Twins 3rd: Alexi Casilla Ks. Gomez Ks, looking. Harris 1-3.

Reds 3rd (Matt Guerrier pitching): Votto 1-3. Hopper 1-3 (allmst exactly the same play as Votto). Freel F(. Nice play by Gomez.

Ryan Hanigan's catching now.

Twins 4th: Mauer F7. Nice play by Freel. Cuddyer single. Kubel 8. Wild pitch to Cuddyer to second. Monroe 1-3.

Reds 4th (Pat Neshek pitching): BPhillips strikes out. Encarnacion doubles down the left field line. Bruce F7. APhillips 6-3.

Kent Mercker's pitching, Jolbert Cabrera's at first, Adam Rosales is at second, Andy Green at third, Chris Dickerson in left, Jerry in center, Drew Anderson in right.

Twins 5th: Lamb singles. Jones F8. Casilla hit into a 4-6-3 DP.

OK, I went down to talk to Josh Fogg. It's 3-1 Reds. In the fifth, Jerrry Gil hit a three-run homer the opposite field, scoring Castro and Votto who singled.

The Twins scored an unearned run in the sixth. Really unearned. Jeff Keppinger mzde an error at shortstop. Gil and Chris Dickerson collided on a ball in center. And David Weathers threw wilding to first.

Reds 6th: Andy Green P5. Cabrera 1-3. Keppinger singles. Hanigan takes a called third strike.

Twins 7th: Francisco Cordero's pitching. Monroe Pop to 4. Matt Macri reaches on Gil's error. Flyout and groundout end the inning. (I've given up on the Twins substitutions).

Reds 7th: Votto 6-3. Gil 5-3. Dickerson K.

Mike Stanton pitching.

Twins 8th: Jason Pridie foul to 5. Matt Tolbert P4. Jose Morales 6-3. Nice play by Paul Janish. The kid is smooth.

Reds 8th: Rosales singles. Green F3. Drew Anderson walked. Cabrera doubles, scoring two. Keppinger F8. Janish reaches on error, Cabebra scores. Alvin Colina strikes ot.

Twins 9th (Mike Lincoln pitching). 1-2-3 inning. It's over.