Bucs Bombard Veteran Arroyo - Send Wild Card Game To Pittsburgh

It may have been Bronson Arroyo's last pitch thrown as a Red.

Marlon Byrd hit the Pirates fifth home run of the game with Justin Morneau on base.  The blow followed Neil Walker's second home run of the game in the fifth inning and gave Pittsburgh a lead on the way to an 8-3 win that sent the wild card game to Pittsburgh on Tuesday night.

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Arroyo pitched out of trouble in the second inning and got the first two outs of the third to reach the 200 inning mark for the seventh time in eight seasons with the Reds.  He also had a 200 inning season in 2005, his final season in Boston.

The last two innings were a complete nightmare for the 36-year old right-hander, who will be a free agent this winter and may opt to test the market.

Walker hit his first home run of the game.  Andrew McCutchen hit his 21st of the year before the crowd settled back down.

The Reds came back with three runs to take a 3-2 lead.

Shin-Soo Choo was hit by a pitch for the 26th time, extending his team record.  Choo leads the Major Leagues in that department.  The Pirates have hit him seven times this season.

Ryan Ludwick grounded out as Choo advanced to second.  Joey Votto walked for the second time in the game.  His first walk broke Joe Morgan's team record of 133 walks.  During the walk Choo advanced to third on a pitch that got away from catcher Russell Martin.  Brandon Phillips singled to right to score Choo.  Jay Bruce doubled high off the wall in leftcenter to drive in his 108th and 109th runs of the season.

Pedro Alverez quickly tied the game with his 36th home run of the season in the fourth.  Walker's 16th home run put the Pirates on top by a run.  Byrd's two-run shot ended the day for Arroyo.

Andrew Lambo hit his first Major League home run off Logan Ondrusek as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning.

The Reds faced an uphill battle from there

The Pirates bullpen has pitched the most innings of any bullpen in baseball coming into the game, 537.

Vin Mazzaro inherited a bases-loaded, one out mess from starter Charlie Morton, but he struck out Zack Cozart and got Ryan Hanigan on a fly ball that McCutchen made on the run in center.