Reds Win a Marathon

The Pittsburgh Pirates came into Great American Ball Park for the final time in 2012, barring an appearance in the playoffs.

The Pirates would like an opportunity to return.   They fought for 14 innings using all its position players.

They starte the day trailling the Reds by 11 games but are just 2-1/2 games behind the St. Louis Cardinals for the final wild card spot.

Ryan Ludwick ended the game with an infield hit in the 14th inning with two outs.  It took five hours and 22 minutes to get the result they wanted after so much frustration.

"I stunk.  I stunk the whole game," Ludwick said.  "It seemed like I had a thousand chances to win the game and finally got it on a thousand and one."

"We haven't played our best baseball of late," Ludwick continued.  "A game like this can turn us around.  It could bring momentum back."The bullpens extended the game into the 14th inning.

Brock Holt doubled to leadoff the inning against Alfredo Simon.  Pinch hitter Eric Fryer walked.  McCutcheon's swinging bunt went for a hit to load the bases.  Chase D'Arnaud hit a fly to shallow center the runners had to hold.  Alverez forced Holt at home on a ground ball to Votto.  Tabata took two called strikes then grounded out to Votto unassisted to end the threat.  Simon allowed himself a celebratory fist pump as he felt the momentum shift.

"Getting out of bases loaded no outs is a big deal," Simon said.  "I got in trouble.  I told myself to keep the ball down, get a double play.  It's hard to get out of those."

Simon threw D'Arnaud a slider.

"I thought he would be swinging at the first pitch.  I threw a slider to try and get a ground ball.  He hit it in the air but not deep enough."

Pittsburgh's seventh pitcher, Rick VanderHurk, just up from Indianapolis gave up a line drive to Devin Mesoraco that was within three feet of going over the leftfield wall.  He settled for a single.  Brandon Phillips top a ball right in front of the plate on a full swing.  Catcher Michael McKenry tried to get Mesoraco at second but his throw was late.  He got Chris Heisey on a fly out to left.  He struck out Joey Votto.  He appeared to be on the brink of pulling off Simon's trick and getting the momentum back.  Ludwick was down to two strikes but during his at bat, VanderHurk threw a wild pitch.  It was a key.  Ludwick hit a high bouncing ball into the hole at short.  D'Arnaud gloved it but the ball slipped from his throwing hand to eliminate the slim chance he had of throwing Ludwick out.

The 4-3 win dropped the Reds' magic number to 13 over St. Louis and 11 over Pittsburgh.  An hour later, San Diego completed a win over St. Louis dropping the magic number to 12.

Wandy Rodriguez was on the mound for Pittsburgh, who has their backs against the wall.

Rodriguez retired the first nine batters while Andrew McCutcheon led his team to an offensive assault on Mat Latos in the fourth inning.  McCutcheon launched his 26th home run to the upper deck in left.  Latos walked Pedro Alvarez and Jose Tabata doubled to put runners on second and third.  Latos walked Clint Barmes on a 3-2 pitch.  Rod Barajas hit a short fly behind first base that Joey Votto couldn't get to.  One run scored.  Rodriguez hit a hard one hopper to third but Todd Frazier didn't field it cleanly.  He threw Rodriguez out but could have turned a double play to get the Reds out of the inning.  It cost the Reds a third run.

Chris Heisey in centerfield for the slumping Drew Stubbs hit a line drive home run to leftcenter. It was his seventh of the season.

Cincinnati chased Rodriguez and tied the game in the seventh inning. Votto led off with a single.  Ludwick hit an "excuse me" dribbler back to the pitcher.  To his credit Ludwick ran all out to first base to beat the double play relay.  Jay Bruce hit a ground ball to secondbaseman, Brock Holt.  Bruce also hustled to beat the relay.

Jared Hughes relieved Rodriguez after a single by Frazier.  Dioner Navarro drilled a line drive to the rightfield corner just fair to score Bruce and Frazier.

Hughes was the pitcher that gave the extra shove when tagging Navarro out the last time the Pirates were in town.  The Reds hit a couple Pittsburgh batters in that series but the Pirates didn't retaliate perhaps until now.

Aroldis Chapman pitched the 10th but was wild.  He walked McCutcheon and Garrett Jones.  Chapman struck out Alvarez.  Bruce saved the game with a nice running catch of Tabata's line drive but Chapman walked Gabby Sanchez.

Dusty Baker removed the Cuban Missle in favor of Sam LeCure.  Pinch hitter Michael McKenry grounded out to Frazier at third.

Chris Resop came to the mound for the Pirates to start the 10th.  Ryan Hanigan singled.  Stubbs ran for him. Brandon Phillips bunted and played cat and mouse with Resop to execute the sacrifice.  Heisey walked on a 3-2 pitch, bringing Votto to the plate for the first game-on-the-line at bat of his return.  Votto walked for the second time in the game.  Ludwick worked the count full.  Ludwick hit the 3-2 pitch on a hop to Sanchez at first, who threw home to force Stubbs.  It was up to the reigning NL Player of the Week, Bruce.  Bruce struck out swinging.

It took it's toll

"If you're going to go this long, it's huge to get the win," Baker said.  "Our guys fought and the Pirtates played us tough.  I'm sure a lot of the old bones are going to ache."