Reds And Pirates Not Ready To Go Home Play 10 Innings In Game 162

Wild pitches led to two Pittsburgh Pirates runs to give them a 6-5 win on the last day of the season.

The Reds lost 12 of their last 16 games drop 95 games this season, one more than they lost in the last two seasons. It was the fourth 90-plus loss season in a row.  The Reds lost 98 in 2015.

"You want to win each game," Jim Riggleman said.  "We really appreciate the fans response today.  There was a lot of people there.  We got out playing with some energy.  We got playing with some good energy.  We liked the way the fans acknowledged our players when they came off. It was a battle.  They (Pirates) got back into it."

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The Reds' center fielder, playing in his career-high 153rd game of the season, faced Pirates' s starter Clay Holmes in the first inning.  Hamilton's hard ground ball caromed the glove of second baseman Kevin Kramer and trickled toward right fielder Jose Osuna.  Hamilton accelerated past first base and easily turned it into a double.  Hamilton took off for third base as Joey Votto took ball four.  Pirates catcher Elias Diaz throw went into left field and Hamilton trotted home.  It was Hamilton's 34th stolen base of the season.

The Reds built the lead to 3-0 on Tim Federowicz's first home run of the season.  Holmes walked Scott Schebler to start the inning.  Phil Ervin singled but Dilson Herrera lined to Colin Moran at third.  Moran doubled up Ervin with a throw to first.  Federowicz ;hit Holmes next pitch into the seats in left.

Sal Romano cruised through the first four innings, allowing just one hit.  The Pirates got to Romano in the fifth.  Moran walked to lead off the inning.  Osuna doubled off the wall in center fielded by Gabriel Guerrero, who replaced Hamilton as Jim Riggleman emptied the bench.  Moran held third but scored on a sacrifice fly by Kramer.  Osuna took third.  Romano's wild pitch made it a one-run game.

Romano finished five innings and left with a 3-2 lead.  He allowed three hits, a walk and a costly wild pitch.  Romano showed he could be effective out of the bullpen late in the season. He was 1-1 with a 4.50 ERA in 14 relief appearances.

"Sal really did a good job," Riggleman said.  "He had 36 pitches in three innings.  That's unheard of in today's world.  He gave us five good innings. He made a good showing for himself.  Sal showed us he can do both.  He can get loose quick in the bullpen.  He can take a day off, pitch again or he can start. That's very valuable."

Romano was happy to finish his season strong.

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"I hadn't done it in a while but I felt comfortable as a starter," Romano said.  "We had a game plan to attack the strike zone. I got a little sloppy in the fifth with the lead off walk.  Walks will kill you.  It was a good way to end the year for me.  I wanted to get easy contact.  Pitching in the bullpen for a month shows me that I can do both.  Going into the off season it shows me my stuff still plays as a starter."

The Reds got one of the runs back in the bottom of the fifth.  Curt Casali hit a pinch hit single to lead off the inning.  Jose Peraza was hit with a pitch from Tanner Anderson.  Guerrero lined to center with Casali reaching third.  Blake Trahan, who took over for Eugenio Suarez, hit a ball to Kramer who dropped it trying to throw.  Trahan was originally given credit for a hit and his first career RBI but the official scorer changed it to an error, making the run unearned and taking back Trahan's RBI.

Matt Wisler relieved Romano and Pittsburgh hit back-to-back home runs to tie the game.  Starling Marte hit his 20th home run with one out. Josh Bell hit his 12th on the next pitch.

Dilson Herrera's fifth home run gave the Reds the lead again in the sixth.

The Pirates tied the game again off Amir Garrett.  Osuna hit his second double of the game.  Kramer flied out to right.  Jared Hughes made his 72nd appearance.  Kevin Newman tied the game with a single to right center.  Pinch hitter Ryan Lavamway executed a hit and run, poking a single to right with Newman going to third with one out.  Hughes induced a double play from Pablo Reyes to preserve the tie.

Moran doubled to open the ninth against Raisel Iglesias but the Reds' closer left him stranded striking out Kramer and Newman.

Michael Feliz struck out three Reds in the ninth but Peraza reached on a wild pitch.  Guerrero forced him at second.

Jackson Stephens took the mound for the Reds in the 10th.  Reyes hit a double to right that Mason Williams kicked to allow Reyes to take third with one out.  Marte grounded to third for the second out.  The Reds put Josh Bell on base to pitch to Diaz.   Stephens uncorked a wild pitch to give Pittsburgh the win.

Felipe Vazquez earned his 37th save with a scoreless ninth, striking out Schebler to end the season.

Riggleman finished the season 64-80 as the Reds' manager.  Pirates manager Clint Hurdle won his 1,200th game as a Major League manager.