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Latos' arm, bat leads red-hot Cincy past Pirates

Aug 4, 2012 - 5:18 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Mat Latos tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings and hit a two-run homer to lift the Cincinnati Reds over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 3-0, in the opener of a three-game series at Great American Ball Park.

Latos (10-3) scattered four hits and three walks to earn his third straight victory. Aroldis Chapman worked a scoreless ninth to record his 24th save of the season.

Chris Heisey added an inside-the-park home run for the Reds, who have won 14 of their last 15 games.

Wandy Rodriguez (7-10) surrendered all three runs on seven hits over seven innings to take the loss. He also had one of the Pirates' four hits as Pittsburgh fell to 4 1/2 games behind the Reds in the NL Central.

"Across the board they pitched a little better than us, they hit better than us," admitted Pirates manager Clint Hurdle. "So, we'll bounce back tomorrow."

After the Pirates stranded a runner on third in the first inning, Cincinnati opened the scoring in the bottom of the second with Heisey's inside-the-park home run.

Heisey fouled off five straight 2-2 pitches before lifting a ball to deep left field. Starling Marte tracked the ball to the wall, but his leaping attempt came up empty and the ball bounced high off the wall and towards center field.

Andrew McCutchen eventually gathered the ball and threw it into the infield, but the relay throw to the plate was just late and Heisey slid safely home ahead of the tag for his second career inside-the-park home run.

Pittsburgh stranded the tying run on second in the top of the fifth inning before the Reds added to their lead in the bottom of the frame when Latos followed Ryan Hanigan's two-out single with a blast just over the left-field wall.

It was Latos' third career home run and his first since May 3, 2011.

"Latos hit his third career home run and that was a big, big blow," said Reds manager Dusty Baker of his starter. "He pitched a good ballgame. That was Latos' night tonight hitting and pitching."

Latos was replaced by Jonathan Broxton after a pair of singles by Pedro Alvarez and pinch-hitter Michael McKenry placed runners on first and second with one out in the eighth inning, and Broxton quickly induced an inning- ending double play off the bat of pinch-hitter Gaby Sanchez to end the threat.

Chapman retired the first two batter in the ninth before hitting McCutchen with a pitch. Garrett Jones then went down swinging on three pitches to end the game.

Game Notes

Jones went 0-for-4 to snap his nine-game hit streak...Latos improved to 4-0 in five career starts against Pittsburgh...Rodriguez fell to 8-11 in 27 career starts against the Reds...The season series between the teams is now even at 5-5.