• Preview
• Recap
• Bleachers

Reds-Pirates Preview

May 2, 2009 - 5:01 AM By BRETT HUSTON STATS Writer

Cincinnati (11-10) at Pittsburgh (11-10), 7:05 p.m. EDT

The Pittsburgh Pirates' pitching staff has been among baseball's biggest early surprises, posting the majors' best ERA as the calendar turns from April to May.

Their offense, however, is hardly keeping pace.

The Pirates haven't scored a run in 22 consecutive innings and have lost four in a row, streaks they'll hope to end Saturday night when they continue their three-game set with the visiting Cincinnati Reds, who haven't allowed a run in 19 innings.

Pittsburgh (11-11) had the NL's worst ERA (5.08) last season, but has a major league-best 3.35 ERA through 22 games. Solid pitching got the Pirates off to an 11-7 start, but lately a lack of offense has sent them into a slump.

Catcher Ryan Doumit (right wrist surgery) and shortstop Jack Wilson (sprained finger) are on the disabled list, and center fielder Nate McLouth missed the past six games with a strained oblique, injuries that have started to catch up to Pittsburgh's offense.

The Pirates blew a 5-1 lead at Milwaukee on Tuesday and lost 6-5, then were shut out 1-0 in Wednesday's series finale. The offense didn't get any better in Friday's opener against the Reds (12-10) despite the return of McLouth, as the Pirates mustered five singles in a 4-0 loss, extending their scoreless streak to 22 innings.

The Pirates haven't been shut out in three straight games since Aug. 28-30, 1968.

"That's two games in a row. We're going to have to start scoring some runs," manager John Russell told the Pirates' official Web site. "We pitched well enough to win. We just have to score some runs. That's the bottom line."

Ross Ohlendorf (2-2, 3.24 ERA) was the last Pirate pitcher to get a win, and that came Sunday when he allowed three runs over seven innings in an 8-3 victory at San Diego.

"Once he got going, he was very effective," Russell said. "That's what he capable of doing."

Ohlendorf didn't factor in the decision in his lone career start against the Reds, when he allowed four runs - three earned - over six innings in a 6-5 Pirates win on Sept. 3.

Joey Votto had a triple and a home run in that game off Ohlendorf, and Votto finished with 84 RBIs in his first full season in the majors. He's on pace for many more in 2009 after picking up his 21st in 22 games on Friday.

Cincinnati, though, has scored only 82 runs in its first 22 games - 28th in the majors - but pitching has kept it competitive. The Reds only allowed one hit on Wednesday in their series finale in Houston, then shut out the Pirates on Friday to extend their opponents' scoreless streak to 19 innings.

The Reds haven't recorded three consecutive shutouts since June 21-23, 1963.

"You have to be strong in one major area and that's the area you want to be strong in - pitching," manager Dusty Baker told Cincinnati's official Web site. "These guys are getting better and better, more confident and one guy feeds off another guy."

Micah Owings (1-2, 3.78) was outstanding in his last start after looking shaky in his first two. He allowed a run and six hits while striking out six over seven innings in an 8-2 win over Atlanta on Sunday.

"I wish I could've gone deeper, but I'm not going to get greedy," Owings said of his first win with Cincinnati.

Owings is 1-1 with a 6.46 ERA in three career starts against the Pirates, whom he hasn't faced since 2007.