Dateline: Cincinnati
The Reds were 1-for-15 with runners in scoring position so it was appropriate that Nathaniel Lowe drove in the winning run without a hit. The Reds loaded the bases with one out and Lowe beat out a relay for an attempted double play to defeat the Pittsburgh Pirates 3-2 to open a four-game series.
Elly De La Cruz walked and hit three doubles, stealing two bases to give him 20 on the season, drove in a run and scored two including the winning marker.
The Pirates used an opener in Yohan Ramirez, who pitched two scoreless innings before turning the game over to Hunter Barco.
While Reds starter, Rhett Lowder, gave up two harmless singles to the hard hitting Pirates in the first four innings.
Pittsburgh entered the game with the most hits in baseball, coming in at 985 and the second most runs scored at 563. Only the Washington Nationals with 596 runs have scored more.
Barco was greeted with a single from Matt McLain in his first game back from the injured list with a strained left calf. Elly De La Cruz lined a double to the gap in left center and McLain scored from first. Sal Stewart drove in his 80 run of the season with a line single to right.
Lowder had one of his worst starts of the season against the Pirates at PNC Park on May 2. He got just four outs and gave up eight runs on five hits and four walks in a 17-7 loss.
Nick Gonzales, who extended his hitting streak to 14 games in his first at bat, doubled to start the fifth. Endy Rodriguez singled to center with Gonzales stopping at third. Jacob Gonzalez drove the runner home with a fly to center.
De La Cruz doubled for the second time to lead off the fifth and stole third with one out. He was stranded there.
Brandon Lowe tied the game with his 23rd home run leading off the sixth inning.
The Reds had another good chance against Noah Murdoch in the bottom of the sixth. Eugenio Suarez walked and Dane Myers singled to open the inning but Noelvi Marte and McLain struck out. De La Cruz grounded out to shortstop.
Lowder pitched six innings, giving up two runs on five hits. He didn't walk a batter and struck out five.
Brock Burke entered in the seventh inning. It is his National League leading 55th appearance. He walked two and hit Jake Mangum to load the bases with two outs. He struck out Lowe on a check swing to end the inning.
Stewart walked in the bottom of the seventh and with one out Tyler Stephenson had an infield hit to the hole at shortstop. Nathaniel Lowe walked to load the bases for Suarez, who hit into a double play.
The Reds were 1-for-13 with runners in scoring position after the double play.
Tejay Antone started the eighth for the Reds. Esmerlyn Valdez doubled but Antone retired Ryan O'Hearn and Gonzales on fly outs to center.
The Reds went down in order against Mason Montgomery in the bottom of the eighth.
Reds' closer Emilio Pagan started the ninth with the bottom of the Pirates' order due up. Pagan gave up a two-out single to Jhostyxon Garcia but struck out Mangum.
Gregory Soto, the Pirates' closer started the ninth against Elly De La Cruz, who hit his third double of the game, leading off. The Pirates walked Stewart intentionally. Left handed hitting JJ Bleday was on to face the lefty Soto. Bleday struck out on a checked swing. Stephenson walked to load the bases. N. Lowe another left hander hit a high chop to a drawn in infield. Triolo, the shortstop gloved it but had no chance to get De La Cruz at the plate. He had to throw backwards to force Stephenson at second but the relay from Brandon Lowe was in no way in time to catch N. Lowe at first.
"When Soto is sinking the ball at 100, you just got to put it in play," N Lowe said. "Thankfully, I was able to. If I look back I probably wouldn't swing at that one but it won the game, so we'll take it."
Lowe was looking for a ball he could send to the outfield, knowing De La Cruz could score on one that wasn't that deep.'
"I was looking for a pitch up and didn't get one. I had to put something in play," Lowe said.
Even then, a frustrated Reds' offense stranded 12 base runners. They had nine hits and nine walks. They also had two base runners caught stealing.
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