Struggling Marlon Byrd Delivers The Winning Run Sans Credit

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Official scorer Ron Roth ruled it an error and no RBI but Marlon Byrd's sinking line drive to rightfield with Todd Frazier on third could not be handled by Gregory Polanco and the Reds completed a sweep with a 3-2 win.

Frazier doubled to open the ninth.  Devin Mesoraco hit a slow ground ball to shortstop to advance Frazier to third.

"Devin got his first hit today but his groundball to allow Todd to move up was set up the ending," Bryan Price said.  'He could have tried to hit a home run but he gave himself up."

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Rob Scahill walked Jay Bruce intentionally to pitch to Marlon Byrd, who came into the game with one hit in nine at-bats, hit the ball to rightfield with authority.

It hit off Polanco's glove and Frazier, who slipped was able to score as the ball got behind the disgusted Polanco.

"Everyone wants to get off to a good start but that doesn't always happen," Price said. "Marlon wanted to come here to be part of a winner."

Byrd admitted that he was struggling with his sixth strikeout of the season recorded in the fifth inning.

"Yes I felt like I was struggling," Byrd said. 'I don't usually strikeout like that.  That was the first bal I hit to rightfield.  If I keep doing that, the hits will come."

Anthony DeSclafani pitched in his Reds' debut.

"There were no more nerves than any other game. It was fun," DeSclafani said. "I'm glad everything was working. I'm glad we won."

The 24-year old, who pitched at the University of Florida, pitched six strong innings and might have gone even farther if not for the 1:14 rain delay.

The Reds kept him active by getting him up every 15 minutes to throw underneath the stands.

"To his credit, he came back with even better stuff," Price said.

The Pirates scored a run in the fifth when Polanco was able to beat a long throw by Zack Cozart with the bases loaded.  Pedro Alvarez hit a solo home run to leftfield to stake the Pirates to a short-lived 2-0 lead.

Billy Hamilton, who has been on base nearly 50 percent of the time in the early going ans has stolen six bases, including two in this game, was on secondbase when Joey Votto hit his first home run since May 10 last season to tie the game off A.J. Burnett.

"We have a good combination at the top of the order," Price said. "We have a speed guy at the top and a guy who can get on base and hit exrra-base hits behind him."