Pirates 3 - 1 Reds
Final
  for this game

Pirates try to stay in hunt for division title vs. Reds

Sep 26, 2014 - 2:47 PM (SportsNetwork.com) - The Pittsburgh Pirates still have their sights set on a division title and will close out the regular season with a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park.

The playoff-bound Pirates are one game behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the NL Central lead. The Cardinals will begin a three-game road series against the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday night.

Pittsburgh has been playing well this month and took three of four meetings with the Atlanta Braves at Turner Field, capping the set with Thursday's 10-1 pounding of the hosts. Edinson Volquez struck out 10 batters and scattered four hits over seven shutout innings to lift his record to 13-7.

"I'm very happy with the way I pitched tonight, and with the whole year," Volquez said. "It feels good."

Neil Walker hit a two-run homer and Travis Snider finished 3-for-4 with a home run. Josh Harrison collected three hits and scored three runs, while Andrew McCutchen recorded three RBI for the Pirates, who posted a 16-7 advantage in hits and have won 16 of their last 20 games.

Harrison is riding a 13-game hitting streak and is batting .319.

Vance Worley will take the mound for the Pirates Friday and he is 8-4 with a 2.93 earned run average. Pittsburgh has won each of Worley's last four starts and the right-hander is 3-0 in that time. He held Milwaukee to four hits across eight scoreless innings in a 1-0 victory on Sunday.

Worley has faced the Reds five times (4 starts) in his career and is 2-1 with a 4.26 ERA.

Cincinnati has won three of its last four games and just took a three-game series from the Milwaukee Brewers. In Thursday's 5-3 win over the struggling Brewers, David Holmberg picked up the win by limiting the visitors to a pair of runs in six innings.

"I'm getting more confident every time I'm out there," Holmberg said. "I'm going out and attacking guys."

Aroldis Chapman recorded his 35th save in the ninth.

Jay Bruce went 3-for-4 with an RBI and Brandon Phillips hit a two-run homer for the Reds.

Mike Leake draws the start for Cincinnati Friday and has an 11-13 record to go along with a 3.78 earned run average. Leake has lost two straight starts and is 2-4 in his last six decisions. In last Saturday's 8-4 loss at St. Louis, Leake was reached for six runs -- five earned -- and six hits in five innings.

Leake has allowed three or more runs in each of his last four starts (18 total) and is 6-6 in 14 home starts. The righty is 6-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 19 career starts against the Pirates.

The Reds are 10-6 against Pittsburgh this season.






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