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Correia pitches Pirates to series win in Cincinnati

Apr 19, 2011 - 3:15 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Kevin Correia pitched his second career complete game and Matt Diaz went 2-for-4 with two runs batted in and scored twice, as the Pittsburgh Pirates handled the Cincinnati Reds, 9-3, in the finale of a four-game set at Great American Ball Park.

Andrew McCutchen and Steve Pearce each knocked in a pair of runs for Pittsburgh, which took three of the four games in the series.

Correia (3-1) allowed three runs -- two earned -- on four hits, walked two and struck out five. The 30-year-old righty threw 109 pitches -- 73 for strikes and improved to 7-1 in 14 career games, including nine starts against Cincinnati.

"It's hard to go out there and throw a lot of offspeed pitches and get behind guys when you have that big of a lead," Correia said. "I threw a lot of two- seamed fastballs early and got people out."

Chris Heisey hit a two-run homer in the ninth for the Reds, who have dropped four of their last five.

Travis Wood (1-2) was roughed up for six runs on eight hits in 3 1/3 innings. The left-hander walked one and struck out three.

Run-scoring singles by Neil Walker, Pearce and Chris Snyder in the first gave the Pirates an early 3-0 lead.

"I didn't feel I was missing too much that first inning," Wood said. "They were hitting some good pitches, got a couple broken bat hits, just fighting them off and at times that I did miss I paid for it."

Cincinnati got one back in the second when Scott Rolen led off with a ground- rule double, went to third on a passed ball and scored on third baseman Pearce's errant throw to first.

The Pirates blew the game open with a five-run fourth. Snyder and Ronny Cedeno hit back-to-back singles to get the inning started and each moved up a base on a bunt by Correia before both came in on McCutchen's double to left.

Jordan Smith replaced Wood and struck out the first batter he faced, then surrendered an RBI single to Diaz, walked Walker and Pearce's base hit chased in another. Lyle Overbay's run-scoring double made it an 8-1 game.

Diaz was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded in the fifth to force in a run.

Correia stayed on for the ninth and gave up a leadoff single to pinch-hitter Ramon Hernandez before Heisey hit a two-run shot to left with two away. Miguel Cairo grounded out to third to end the game.

Game Notes

Earlier on Monday, the Reds placed third baseman Juan Francisco on the 15-day disabled list with a strained left calf, transferred right-handed reliever Jared Burton from the 15-day to the 60-day DL and called up outfielder Jeremy Hermida from its Triple-A affiliate in Louisville...Cincinnati starting second baseman Brandon Phillips missed his fourth straight game due to a strained groin and is listed as day-to-day...The Reds won 10 of 16 versus the Pirates last year, including five of seven at Cincinnati.