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Reds survive roller coaster, beat Pirates

Aug 20, 2011 - 5:39 AM Pittsburgh, PA (Sports Network) - Ryan Hanigan capped a three-run ninth inning with a two-run single, as the Cincinnati Reds took down the Pittsburgh Pirates, 11-8, in a back-and-forth game at PNC Park.

With the score tied at eight, the Reds pushed across three runs in the ninth. Joel Hanrahan (0-2) walked Joey Votto to start the inning. Dave Sappelt singled two batters later to put men on the corners with one out. Drew Stubbs followed with a grounder to second baseman Neil Walker, who went home with the throw. Catcher Ryan Doumit was unable to make the catch, which allowed the go- ahead run to score. Hanigan hit a two-run single up the middle to account for the final margin.

"It boils down to the leadoff walk, you can't have that in a situation like that. You have to get the first guy out," Hanrahan admitted.

Francisco Cordero tossed a perfect ninth for his 25th save of the season.

Brandon Phillips went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer and four RBI for the Reds, who have won two of three. Votto added a two-run homer and Hanigan hit a solo home run.

Brandon Wood went 2-for-4 with three RBI for the Pirates, who have lost two in a row and five of seven overall.

The opener of this three-game set featured 19 runs and 28 hits. It was also delayed by 41 minutes at the start by rain.

Votto broke a scoreless tie with a two-run homer in the fourth.

The Pirates promptly responded with two runs in the home half to tie the game. Andrew McCutchen and Walker singled and Ryan Ludwick walked to load the bases with one out. Wood brought home McCutchen with a sacrifice fly. Ronny Cedeno followed with an RBI single to left-center field. Stubbs made a nice diving catch in center field to keep it a 2-2 game.

Cincinnati used a four-run fifth to create some distance. Hanigan got the frame started with a homer to left. Paul Janish then hit a double to the left field corner. Homer Bailey reached base on a sac bunt to put men on first and third. Phillips stepped to the plate and crushed Kevin Correia's offering over the wall in left for a 6-2 lead.

Pittsburgh got one run back in the home half. Jose Tabata led off with an infield single that deflected off Bailey's leg. Garrett Jones struck out looking on what seemed to be a ball. Pirates manager Clint Hurdle was ejected for arguing the call. McCutchen walked and Doumit singled to load the bases. Walker's sac fly made it a 6-3 contest.

The Pirates tacked on another run in the sixth off Sam LeCure. Wood singled and Cedeno doubled to put men on second and third. Wood crossed the plate on Matt Diaz's groundout. Tabata and Jones also grounded out to end the inning.

The Reds scored a run in the seventh to make it a 7-4 game. Brad Lincoln put men on first and second with two outs before being removed. Joe Beimel came in from the bullpen and was greeted by Jay Bruce's RBI single.

Pittsburgh made things tight again by scoring two runs in the home seventh. With two down, Bill Bray hit Walker with a pitch and gave up a double to Ludwick. Wood knocked in both runners with a double to left off Jose Arredondo. Cedeno struck out looking, but not before the Pirates cut the gap to 7-6.

Cincinnati tried to create some space again with a run in the eighth. Chris Resop started the inning on the mound for the Pirates. Janish reached base on a controversial infield single, stole second, moved to third on Miguel Cairo's base hit and scored on Phillips' groundout.

The Pirates battled back again in the bottom of the eighth. Nick Masset allowed pinch-hitter Xavier Paul to double to right-center field. Tabata's infield single put men on the corners with no outs. Jones followed with an RBI double to left. McCutchen hit a run-scoring single to left to tie the game at eight. Jones also tried to score on the play, but was thrown out. Doumit reached on a single.

Travis Wood (6-5) came in from the bullpen and walked Walker to load the bases. Ludwick hit a fly ball to center field for the second out. McCutchen was thrown out trying to tag from third.

"That was probably the strangest, most hard-fought game we've had this year. ... Everyone was running on empty," Reds manager Dusty Baker said.

Game Notes

The Pirates still own a sizeable 7-3 advantage in the season series between these clubs...The Reds were without shortstop Edgar Renteria (groin)...Bailey went five innings in the start for Cincinnati, allowing three runs on six hits...Correia allowed six runs on eight hits in a six-inning start for the Pirates...The game was almost four hours long...The Reds used eight pitchers in the game, compared to seven for the Pirates...Each team had 14 hits.