Cincinnati Reds manager Dusty Baker has responded to what Derek Lowe said last night.

“He had some words for me. I really didn’t want to make a public thing or a public spectacle. He’s the one who brought it up. He had some choice words for me. I really don’t care if he respects me. It doesn’t matter.

“No. 1, you’ve got to ask him why he hit Joey Votto in the back two years ago. Yesterday, he took exception to a ball inside that didn’t hit him, then hit Brandon Phillips after that.

“I’m not denying nothing. I didn’t order anyone to hit him. I told (Mat Latos) to buzz him and make him uncomfortable. That’s what happened. Nobody hit him. Then he hit our guy.

“What he was talking about was something that he said and did a few years. You got to ask him what that was. You got a lot people involved in the situation that didn’t need to be involved in the situation. It didn’t come from there.

“Go ask him since he made it public. Understand what I’m saying. I’ll let it rest at that since he’s such a big man running his mouth talking about himself.”

Apparently, a reporter pressed Baker on the issue a little more, and Baker found a little more to say.

“Man, I don’t care,” Baker said. A lot of people don’t respect me. He don’t respect himself. The word was whatever he did and said probably there was a good chance he was drinking at the ballpark and he don’t remember what he said or what he did. OK.

“When he said I shook my finger at him to say I didn’t have nothing to do with it. It wasn’t to say I didn’t have anything to do with it. It was to say: Don’t mess with me or my team. That’s what that means. He better learn sign language. OK.”

All right. Lowe hates Baker and will throw at his players. And the feeling is mutual from Dusty. Also, Baker accused someone–maybe Lowe–of being drunk while at work. Everything is clear as mud.

It’s interesting to see Baker fired up like this. Usually, he’s a very laid-back, cool guy. Something happened that royally pissed him off, though, and he can apparently hold a grudge.

After last night’s game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians, Indians starter Derek Lowe shared his feelings on Reds’ manager Dusty Baker.

Lowe exploded with an expletive-laden rant about a pitch that Mat Latos threw to him when batting in the fifth that was up and in.

“Dusty will deny it. It has everything to do with him,” Lowe said. “You can go ask him. He’ll deny it like he has no idea. They’ve been trying to do this [stuff] for years. I’d always come up with men on base. To say it didn’t come from Dusty, Mat Latos was with the San Diego Padres the last four years. He has no idea what’s going on. Again, you can ask him and he’ll say he doesn’t know [anything] about it like he always does. This goes back to my last year with the Dodgers [in 2008]. He made up some [bogus] story. A lot of people got involved. People almost got fired over it. You can go ask him right now and he’ll say he has no idea what you’re talking about. But just watch the game. Mat Latos has nothing to do with anything that has gone on. How would he know? Why in the [world] would you throw a 96 mph fastball, first pitch, inside to a pitcher? Ask him.

Feel free to replace “[stuff]”, [anything]”, and “[bogus]” in the quote with the likely swear words uttered by Lowe. I’m feeling “shit” was the likely word of choice.

Sure, Tony LaRussa and Baker never got along, but this is the first time something between the Dodgers, Lowe, and Baker has been made public.

“A lot of people knew about it,” Lowe said. “I have zero respect for the guy — not that it matters. I imagine he’d say the same about me. But the [stuff] that was being said and the denials that he ended up ultimately doing was pretty sad. I’ll just leave it at that.”

I have no idea what to think of this. But it’s clear that Lowe is not “trusty in Dusty.” If nothing else, it’ll make for some interesting questions to be asked of Baker before today’s afternoon game begins.

Boxscore

The Reds ensured the series win last night by beating the Indians 3-5.

Mat Latos pitched on short rest to fill in for the sicky-poo Mike Leake. In 7.0 innings, Latos allowed 2 runs (earned) on 7 hits and a walk. I wouldn’t mind seeing that every time out.

Sean Marshall took over in the eighth and didn’t allow a hit. The guy who usurped him in the closer role, Aroldis Chapman, took over in the ninth and did allow a hit: a home run. Fortunately for Chapman, one home run was all they got, and that wasn’t enough to blow the save. It does, however, start a streak of three straight appearances where Chapman has allowed earned runs.

It was pretty much smooth sailing on the offensive front. Brandon Phillips assumed his usual Cleveland killer role and went 3-for-3 with 3 RBI and 2 runs scored. I wonder what the Phillips trade looks like from the Indians’ point of view.

Meanwhile, Joey Votto assumed his usual everyone killer role and went 2-for-3 with a walk. Chris “Hi-C” Heisey and Ryan Hannigan also had hits. Jay Bruce and Ryan Ludwick provided the other two RBI. Wilson Valdez went 0-fer.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 34-27 and extends their lead over the second-place Pirates to 2.0 games. They go for the series sweep this afternoon at 12:35 p.m. when Mike Leake (2-5, 4.97 ERA) takes on Josh Tomlin (3-3, 4.96 ERA).

Boxscore

Despite trailing early on, the Reds came back to win authoritatively last night. They beat the Indians in the first game of the series, 1-7.

Johnny Cueto started and ended for the Reds. In 9.0 innings pitched he allowed 1 run on 6 hits and 0 walks. Damn.

The bench all had the dreaded flu-like symptoms last night, so the line-up looked a little funny and not a single pinch-hitter made it into the game. The much-despised Wilson Valdez, for example, was hitting second.

Fortunately, he did very well for the team, going 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, which probably means we’ll see him batting second again. I’ll leave it up to you to decide whether that part is fortunate or not.

Chris Heisey went 2-for-4. Joey Votto went 2-for-4 with a walk and 3 RBI. Brandon Phillips when 2-for-5 with an RBI. In fact, everyone had a hit last night except for Jay Bruce, and even he had an RBI.

The win brings the Reds’ record to 33-27. Thanks to the Pirates losing last night, the Reds are again in sole possession of first place in the NLC. The Reds and Indians match up again tonight at 7:10 p.m. Mat Latos (4-2, 4.85 ERA) will be filling in for the flu-stricken Mike Leake. He’ll go against Derek Lowe (7-4 3.72 ERA).