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5 years later, relive the 'Cuuueeto' Wild Card Game tweet by tweet

By Matt Monagan

Although it may feel like yesterday for poor Johnny Cueto, it's been five long years since the Pirates defeated the Reds in the 2013 National League Wild Card Game. Or, as any fan watching might refer to it, " The Cuuueeto game."
In honor of the special anniversary and in preparation for the first Wild Card Game on Tuesday, let's relive the madness from PNC Park for those few innings tweet by tweet. Reds fans: Turn away if you must.
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Going into the night of Oct. 1, 2013, Cueto had been absolutely lights-out at PNC Park. No visiting pitcher was better. Not one. 

As a result, manager Dusty Baker and Cueto were feeling pretty good before the matchup.


Although, there was an interesting tidbit from late MLB.com reporter Tom Singer ...



Pittsburgh starter Francisco Liriano set the Reds down in order in the top of the first and, as expected, Cueto was efficient in the bottom half. 


But right away, in the bottom of the second, things began to unravel. And guess who struck the first blow? That guy Marlon Byrd:

Pedro Álvarez lined out, and then, with Pirates fans still in a frenzy from the Byrd dinger, it happened. Turn up your volume before clicking play on the below video.

One tiny drop of a ball, and Pittsburgh fans knew they were in complete control.

The Twittersphere erupted.





It was the first time Cueto had given up two homers in one inning in three years. And fans continued to pile on the starter, as he gave up singles to opposing pitcher Liriano and Starling Marte.



Todd Frazier eventually ended the madness with a highlight-reel catch into the stands.

But the Pittsburgh faithful refused to back down, bothering Cueto during his lone at-bat (he grounded out):





The constant chanting even affected Cueto's normal routine the next time he took the mound:


The Bucs notched three more hits and another run in the third. Listen to the Cueto chorus on Alvarez's sacrifice fly.

After giving up a double to Marte in the fourth (he would eventually score), Cueto was done. Three and 1/3 innings, four runs, eight hits and one dropped ball heard around the baseball world. Even at the end, the crowd was ruthless:




The Pirates went on to win, 6-2, and Cincinnati hasn't reached the postseason since. Baker rejected the idea that the crowd had any impact on Cueto's performance.

Pirates fans, of course, will beg to differ.

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