"Johnny Cueto's plan was to throw a complete game Wednesday.

"I was feeling really well," Cueto said through a translator. "My mind was set to throw nine innings. I wanted to throw nine innings. One thing is what you want and one thing is what God decides."

Cueto left the Reds-Chicago Cubs game after 3 2/3 innings with a strained right latissimus dorsi -- the large muscle in the back.

The Reds went on win 7-2 before a crowd of 18,304 at Great American Ball Park. But a September win for a team playing out the string is overshadowed when your best pitcher leaves the game hurting."