Andrew McCutchen proved to the Reds that he is an All-Star and a clutch player.
McCutchen homered in the ninth off Jonathan Broxton to tie the game and in the 11th to win it off J.J. Hoover, lifting the Pirates to a 6-5 win to even the series.
"They outlasted us," Bryan Price said. "McCutchen got us not only with the home runs but he covered a lot of ground in centerfield. I asked J.J, to go more than an inning for the first time in five days. It wasn't right. It was a situation where there was no margin for error. If there was a regret it was that I used three pitchers in the eighth inning. We didn't get beat, they (Pirates) just did what they needed to do to win."
The Reds were trailing by four runs again as Mike Leake had early control problems, while his mound opponent Charlie Morton was cruising along.
"I've seen Mike a lot sharper. We needed length out of him and he gave us what we needed and gave us a chance to come back they stranded a lot of runners when he was out there."
The Reds continued its recently found talent for comeback wins when Chris Heisey and All-Star Todd Frazier hit home runs as the first five Reds to bat scored in the sixth.
Leake created problems for himself in the first. With one out, Travis Snider hit a groundball up the middle. Ramon Santiago, a replacement for the injured Brandon Phillips, dived for the ball. He gloved it by drew a visit from frequently seen trainer, Paul Lessard. Santiago continued after shaking off his discomfort. Leake grazed Andrew McCutchen with a pitch, then walked Neil Walker to fill the bases. Russel Martin hit a sacrifice fly to Billy Hamilton in centerfield. Hamilton did everything right, he lined up his body to make an accurate throw but Devin Mesoraco couldn't come up with the ball.
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Gabby Sanchez and Jordy Mercer singled to open the Pirate's fifth. Morton bunted them over tsecond and third. Leake threw the ball away, trying to pickoff Sanchez, who trotted home. Gregory Polanco singled to build the Pirates lead to 4-0.
Meanwhile, Morton was slicing and dicing the Reds. Frazier singled in the first but was stranded. Ryan Ludwick singled but was erased on a 3-6-3 double play in the second. Santiago singled but Jay Bruce, hitting against a shift, hit into a rare 5-6-3 double play.
Then the explosion rained down on Morton in the sixth.
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A seemingly harmless walk to Cozart started the frame. Heisey hit for Leake and lined a pitch into the leftfield stands. Hamilton singled, and to the surprise of no one, stole second base for his 38th theft. Santiago drew a walk. On a 3-2 pitch Hamilton took off to be stopped by the crack of Ftazier's bat. He stopped short of third to watch Frazier's team-leading 18th home run sail way out of centerfield to give the Reds a 5-4 advantage.
Three Reds pitchers guarded the lead in the eighth.
Sam LeCure struck out Sanchez but Mercer and Princeton/UC grad Josh Harrison singled. Bryan Price brought in Manny Parra to pitch to Polanco, who hit into a force at second with Mercer moving to third. Matt Hague was announced to bat for Snider but Price brought in Jumbo Diaz into the game. Ike Davis hit for Hague instead. Diaz got a ground out on one pitch.
Jonathan Broxton came on to rest Aroldis Chapman, who had pitched four days in a row. He had the middle of the Pittsburgh order to deal with, McCutchen, Walker and Martin.
McCutchen hit a 2-2 pitch out to dead center for his 16th home run to tie the game. It was the first home run allowed by Broxton. Broxton struck out two to end the inning with no further damage.
Tony Watson, who had his only bad outing of the year on Friday night, started the bottom of the ninth. Ryan Ludwick started it with a soft single to center. Brayan Pena scorched the ball up the middle. Watson knocked it down and got the force. Zack Cozart singled. Neftali Soto called from Louisville this morning, pinch hit for Broxton. Soto fouled off four two-strike pitches before he struck out. Hamilton, the Reds leading hitter with runners in scoring position, came to the plate with two outs. He fouled out to the catcher to send the game to extra innings.
J.J. Hoover struck out two batters in a scoreless 10th.
The Reds missed a chance to end the game in the bottom of the 10th. Ernesto Frieri walked Santiago and Frazier to start the inning. Pittsburgh manager Clint Hurdle brought in left-hander Justin Wilson to pitch to Bruce, who hit home runs off left-hander pitchers in three consecutive games on this homestand. Bruce singled but rookie Gregory Polance threw a strike to Martin to nail Santiago at the plate as Frazier and Bruce advance to second and third with one out. Hurdle ordered Mesoraco walked and Wilson struck out Ludwick and Pena to send the game to the 11th.
"He had to have time and make a good throw and he did," said Bruce, who has thrown out his share of runners trying to score. "McCutchen is locked in to say the least right now. I know the pitchers feel bad but he put two good swings on the ball."
Jeanmar Gomez gave up two long fly balls but earned his first career save.
The St. Louis Cardinals defeated the Milwaukee Brewers this afternoon. The win by the Pirates puts the top four teams in the division within 2 1/2 games of the division lead. The worst the Reds will be is 2 1/2 games out when the break comes.
"I think that we are a little dissatisfied with the way we played in the first half. We didn't get started until the last month and a half or so. If you would have said in spring training we'd be within two games of first, no one would have scoffed at that. We played well but we can still play better and I think we can play better. We hope to get healthy. One of our strengths is our bench. Whoever we put out there we expect to win. We just have to play baseball man. This is a good division and we're a good team. I look forward to what's to come," Bruce said.
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