Final/13
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Phillips helps Reds down Pirates in extras

Jun 20, 2013 - 6:06 AM Cincinnati, OH (Sports Network) - Brandon Phillips' RBI single in the bottom of the 13th inning lifted the Cincinnati Reds over the Pittsburgh Pirates, 2-1, in the third test of a four-game series.

Vin Mazzaro (3-2), who tossed a scoreless 12th, stayed on to pitch the 13th for the Pirates. Derrick Robinson reached base on an infield single and moved to third on Shin-Soo Choo's base hit to right. Joey Votto was intentionally walked to load the bases for Phillips, whose hit up the middle scored the winning run.

"I haven't been myself lately," Phillips said. "To come through like that, I was due. It felt good just to hit the ball up the middle and come through for the team. It was a team effort. We stayed in the game and we really wanted this win."

Jay Bruce sent the game into extras with a solo homer in the ninth. Cincinnati starter Bronson Arroyo allowed one unearned run on six hits over seven innings. Manny Parra (1-1) tossed a scoreless 13th to pick up the win.

Starling Marte scored the lone run for the Pirates, who saw starter Jeff Locke give up just four hits over seven scoreless frames.

The Reds put runners on the corners with one out in the first. Robinson walked and Choo reached first on Garrett Jones' fielding error. The runners moved up one base when Votto grounded into a fielder's choice, but Phillips grounded into an inning-ending double play.

Cincinnati had a runner thrown out at the plate during its next at-bat. Zack Cozart worked a two-out walk and was tagged out at home on Ryan Hanigan's double down the left-field line.

Pittsburgh got on the board in the third. Marte tripled to left-center field and scored when Russell Martin reached base on Arroyo's fielding error.

The Pirates failed to add to their lead after leaving the bases loaded in the fourth and sixth frames. In the top of the seventh, Bruce took a possible homer away from Andrew McCutchen with a leaping catch at the wall in right.

Meanwhile, Locke retired eight straight batters before giving up a one-out double to Todd Frazier in the seventh. Cozart and Hanigan both flied out to end the inning.

Holding a 1-0 lead, Pittsburgh sent Jason Grilli to the mound in the ninth. Bruce smacked his offering over the wall in right to tie the game. Grilli needed just one more save to tie a club record. He had converted all of his 25 chances this season, one shy of Joel Hanrahan's 2011 club record to open a season.

"It's the life of a relief pitcher," Grilli said. "I like being in those situations, I'll take the ball again. [Bruce] ambushed me. I missed the ball down. I know it's not exactly where I wanted it, he found the barrel and hit it where he hit it. Sometimes you've got to tip your cap. He was being aggressive looking to drive the ball, and he got his pitch."

Game Notes

The Pirates went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded 14 ... Homer Bailey will start the final game of the series for Cincinnati, while Brandon Cumpton gets the nod for the Pirates.