Pirates Take the Series Solving Aroldis Chapman

Aroldis Chapman is human after all.

His season long scoreless streak ended at 29 innings. Clint Barmes and Michael McKenry belted back-to-back doubles to open the 10th inning, breaking the spell and the tie to give the Pittsburgh Pirates a 5-4 lead.

Ryan Ludwick hit a solo home run off Pittsburgh ace closer, Joel Hanrahan  to open the bottom of the ninth, tying the game.  The blow made necessary, Chapman's appearance.

Hanrahan got the "vultured win" while Chapman took his first loss after four wins.

"You knew it was going to happen sooner or later, you just hoped it wouldn't happen tonight," Dusty Baker said.  "We beat their best in Hanrahan.  They beat our best in Chapman.  When they catch up to the fastball they are going to hit is hard.  Barmes battled and battled.  McKenry hit a good pitch."

It was a 99 mph fastball.

Joey Votto led off the bottom of the 10th with a double off Chris Resop.  Brandon Phillips grounded out to short.  The Pirates walked Jay Bruce. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle took a big risk putting the winning run on base. But Todd Frazier popped foul to first base.  Resop caught Ludwick looking to end the game.

"We weren't able to move the runner," Baker said.

Phillips tried to get Votto over to third and thought about bunting but decided against it, since he didn't think they would pitch to Bruce.  His thought process turned out to be correct.

"I tried to get him over to third early in the count," Phillips said.  He took a called strike, then a ball.  The third pitch he fouled off down the right field line.  The ball missed fair territory by a few feet.

"Once I got to two strikes I wanted hit the ball hard somewhere and make something happen," Phillips said.

Jose Tabata singled.  Clint Barmes bunted and the Reds's execution on the play was less than spectacular.  Votto fielded the bunt and flipped to Phillips covering first.  Momentum took Phillips too far into foul territory and an alert Tabata went to third. Catcher McKenry  flied to right to get the run home.

"He caught Brandon sleeping on that play," Baker said. "He didn't think he'd try to take third."

Phillips took the blame.

"I just tried to make sure I got the out," Phillips said.  "I forgot about the runner. It was a high throw.  I didn't hear anything then I saw him go and tried to make a good throw.  It is those crazy little things that make a difference."

Mike Leake and Kevin Correia hooked up in a competitive pitching matchup.

Correia allowed solo home runs to Jay Bruce (13) and Ludwick (7) but left the game after the Reds opened the sixth with consecutive single from Votto, Phillips and Bruce.

Jared Hughes stopped the rally by getting Frazier on a ground ball right at the third base bag that forced Bruce at second.  Hughes struck out Ludwick and retired Devin Mesoraco on a routine fly to center.

Leake retired the first nine Pittsburgh batters, striking out five of them, before the Pirates broke loose.

Alex Presley and Neil Walker hit doubles to open the fourth.  Andrew McCutchen drilled a single just out of Zack Cozart's reach at shortstop to put runners at the corners.  Garrett Jones delivered Walker with a fly to center.

Presley singled again to start the sixth.  Running on a pitch to Walker, Presley made it to second base as Phillips threw Walker out at first.  One out later Jones punched a single to left.

The Reds chased Correia in the bottom of the inning.

"Tabata got us twice," Baker said.

The Reds lost an opportunity in the first inning.  Votto doubled with two out but was thrown out at the plate by Tabata to end the inning.