The Pirates battled back from deficits all night to tie the score in the eighth, with good chances to push ahead. They were unable to take the lead in the eighth, with two runners getting thrown out at the plate. In the ninth, Joel Hanrahan had a very rare poor outing and Cincinnati scored three times to win 11-8. Neither Pittsburgh starter Kevin Correia or Reds hurler Homer Bailey were around to get a decision.
After three scoreless innings,the fireworks went off. Freddie Lewis led off the visitor’s half of the fourth with a single. Joey Votto dingered to put the Reds up 2-0.
Pittsburgh answered immediately. Andrew McCutchen singled. Neil Walker did likewise. Ryan Ludwick walked with one out to load the bases. Brandon Wood lofted a sac fly to get home one run. Ronny Cedeño had a clutch two out knock to score the tying run.
The Reds didn’t mess around. Ryan Hanigan led off the top of the fifth with a solo jack. Paul Janish doubled and Bailey reached on a fielder’s choice when Correia tried to unsuccessfully get Janish at third when Bailey bunted. Brandon Phillips then mashed a three run tater to give the Reds a 6-2 lead.
The Pirates refused to go away. They loaded the bases again in the fifth. José Tabata singled. McCutchen walked and Ryan Doumit singled. Walker’s sac fly narrowed the lead to three runs.
The Buccos got another in the next frame off reliever Sam LeCure. Wood singled and Cedeño doubled to put runners on second and third with no one out. Matt Diaz drove in a run with a ground ball out while pinch hitting for Correia. But LeCure got Tabata and Garrett Jones to retire the side without any more damage.
The Reds added to their two run lead in the seventh. Brad Lincoln started the inning. But he wouldn’t finish it. He gave up a single to Phillips and he walked Votto. With two on and two down, Joe Beimel was summoned to end the inning. But he gave up an RBI single to Jay Bruce to make it 7-4.
The Pirates bats didn’t rest. Bill Bray pitched the seventh. He got two quick outs before plunking Walker and giving up a double to Ludwick. Wood came through in the clutch with a two run single and it was 7-6.
Chris Resop was touched for a run in the eight. Janish singled, stole second and moved to third on a single from Miguel Cairo. Phillips drove in his fourth run of the game with a ground ball out to give the Reds a two run cushion.
They would need it. Nick Masset was on the bump and he gave up a double to Xavier Paul and an infield single to Tabata before anyone was retired. Jones doubled in a run. McCutchen followed with a single to left to tie the score. Jones attempted to score on the play when rookie left fielder Dave Sappelt momentarily lost control of the ball after playing it on a short hop. Jones was out easy at the plate on a strong throw from Sappelt and, since Jerry Meals wasn’t umpiring, was actually called out. McCutchen moved to second on the throw and went to third when Doumit singled. Travis Wood replaced Masset. He walked Walker to load the bases. But Ludwick’s shallow fly to Drew Stubbs in center was too shallow to score McCutchen, who was thrown out at the plate to end the inning.
The ninth unraveled quickly. Hanrahan walked Votto. He gave up a one out single to Sappelt to put runners on the corners. Walker threw home when Stubbs grounder came to him. The ball defelected off Doumit’s glove (error Doumit) and went to the backstop. Votto was safe and runners were on second and third. Hanigan followed with a two run single up the middle past a drawn in infield to make it 11-8. Jose Veras relieved and got the next two hitters.
Francisco Cordero retired the side in order in the ninth to end the game.
Correia gave up six runs on eight hits in six innings. He walked one and whirred one. Bailey lasted five innings. He gave up three runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out six. Wood picked up the win for his work in the eight. Hanrahan suffered the loss. Cordero notched his 25th save on the year.
The Good
Good to see Wood hitting the ball. He drove in three. Bailey luckily grabbed a liner back up the middle in the second or he would’ve had three hits.
Tabata, Jones, McCutchen, Douomit, Wood and Cedeño each had two hits.
15 hits and eight runs from the offense.
The Bad
Giving up eleven runs.
Having two runners tossed out at the plate.
Giving up three in the ninth.
The Rest
In six career starts against Pittsburgh coming into this game, Bailey was 5-0 with a 1.62 ERA. McCutchen, Doumit and Jones all came into the game hitting better than .300 against Bailey. This was Bailey’s shortest outing ever against Pittsburgh and the three runs he gave up matched a career worst against the Bucs.
Correia was 7-1 lifetime against Cincinnati prior to this game.
This was the second time in 2011 that Correia gave up at least three homers in one game.
This was the third time in 2011 and the fifth time in his career that Wood knocked in at least three runs in a game.
Clint Hurdle was ejected in the fifth for arguing balls and strikes after Jones whiffed.
In case you missed it, Pittsburgh signed Tabata to an extension. I like the deal. I think this will work out well. Going back to his last game before going on the disabled list, Tabata has a four game hitting streak.
This was just the second time since the All-Star break (33 games) that Pittsburgh scored more than seven runs. The fifteen hits matched their post All-Star break high. This was the sixth time since the All-Star break the Bucs have allowed more than seven runs.
Jones is hitting .333 in August.
It is my own fault due to a major itinerary gaffe that I made. Instead of being home with my family watching this game on FoxSports Ohio, I found myself catching an early evening flight from Memphis to O’Hare and then catching an 11 PM (body time) flight to Dayton. Thankfully there were no delays for either flight. O’Hare has a well earned reputation of getting backed up and causing delays all across the country. But my biggest complaint is the lack of electrical outlets in the concourses. This isn’t 1995. People are carrying multiple mobile devices and they need outlets.
