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Wilson gives Pirates last laugh in win over Reds

Jul 2, 2008 - 6:33 AM By Doug Tifft PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

CINCINNATI (Ticker) -- Jack Wilson tripled in the go-ahead run in the 11th inning, sending the Pittsburgh Pirates to a wild 6-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday.

In a game that featured two lead changes and one tie in extra innings alone, Wilson followed Xavier Nady's leadoff double with his third hit of the game - and first triple of the season - off Reds reliever David Weathers (2-4) to break open a 4-4 tie.

The hit just eluded a valiant diving attempt by right fielder Ken Griffey Jr.

"If (Griffey) catches that ball, then I don't think that (Nady) makes it over (to third base)," Wilson said. "It worked out in our favor; it was something that we needed."

Two pitches later, Nate McLouth drove home Wilson with a run-scoring single to stake the Pirates to a 6-4 lead.

"If I put up a zero, then we have a good chance to win the game," Weathers said. "But I pitched terribly."

The final comeback not only gave Pirates closer Matt Capps (2-3) the win, but it also thwarted two rallies keyed by the Reds' Brandon Phillips, who sent the game into extra innings with a two-run blast in the eighth and extended the contest with a game-tying RBI single in the 10th.

Romulo Sanchez, the eighth pitcher of the game for Pittsburgh, allowed one run in the 11th but still picked up his first career save.

"I'm glad that we have eight guys in the bullpen," Pirates manager John Russell said jokingly of all of his relievers in this contest.

The teams combined to use 15 pitchers.

The Pirates, who had won their 27 previous games when leading after seven innings before Monday's loss on a walk-off home run by Ken Griffey Jr., blew two late leads in this contest before recovering for the extra-inning win.

On Tuesday, Damaso Marte entered the game in the eighth inning with a 3-1 lead but allowed a double to Griffey and Phillips' homer to even the score.

Two innings later, Jason Michaels gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead on an RBI double to left, only to see the lead surrendered in the bottom half of the inning by Capps on an RBI single from Phillips.

Phillips finished the game with four RBI.

Adam LaRoche sparked Pittsburgh's offense in the early innings, scoring a run on Jose Bautista's double in the fourth and starting a two-run sixth with an RBI double of his own to give the Pirates an early 3-0 advantage before Phillips pushed across the Reds' first run on a fielder's choice groundout.