Price sees Ondrusek on the ascent

CINCINNATI -- Right-handed reliever Logan Ondrusek had a rough start to the season, posting a 5.62 ERA through the end of May. But he turned things around in June, with a 1.50 ERA in 11 appearances.

After giving up three earned runs in the seventh inning of an 8-2 loss to the Padres on July 1, Ondrusek tossed two scoreless frames in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Cubs, helping give the Reds a chance to mount their five-run comeback in a 6-5 victory.

"I think between Logan and [J.J. Hoover] -- slow start, bad numbers -- I think people are real fickle with relievers, in particular," manager Bryan Price said. "Quite often, we ask these guys to come in with a lot of low-scoring games we had in the first two months of the season, with no margin for error. They had some early-season losses, and no doubt about it, that can affect your confidence.

"I think the last game was a boost to [Ondrusek's] confidence and his understanding that he's an important piece to what we're doing here. It's funny, in 2010, when he made our club, I remember telling [Reds general manager Walt Jocketty] later that year, 'I bet you this kid, at some point in time, is going to close for us.' I still think there's some untapped potential there in Logan to be really, really good."