The Reds scored three unearned runs in the ninth off of Mark Melancon following a Jordy Mercer throwing error and one in the tenth to stun the Pirates and their sellout crowd 6 – 5 on Friday night.
The loss erased an amazing performance by Francisco Liriano, who threw eight innings of two-run, three-hit ball while striking out seven.
“I felt fine,” said Liriano. “I was locating my pitches where I wanted to and made some adjustments on my pitches and put us in position to win the ball game. It was a tough night for us and we just have to put the game behind us and come ready to play tomorrow.”
After allowing a first inning run by the Reds, Liriano retired the next batters he faced before giving up a lead-off homer to Todd Frazier in the fifth. he would then finish his outing by throwing three no-hit innings while recording his 1,000th career strikeout in the eighth.
The Pirates would strike immediately in the bottom of the first when Jose Tabata and Neil Walker hit back-to-back homers on consecutive pitches to start the Bucs half of the first. They added two in the fourth when Marlon Byrd and Pedro Alvarez reached by walk and single with one out. Russell Martin and Jordy Mercer followed with RBI singles to extend the lead. Mercer added the final run for the Bucs in the seventh when he led off with a single. Liriano bunted him to second and Tabata followed with a RBI single.
The bottom of the eighth would be the turning point as Andrew McCutchen led the inning off by getting hit in the shoulder by a Sam LeCure. Both benches would be warned causing Clint Hurdle to come out and argue the decision.
“I was thrown out. Sometimes you get to the point where you just don’t agree and I don’t understand a warning,” said Hurdle. “If you thought there was intent to hit the guy, throw the guy out and it’s the first time anyone got hit. It was McCutchen that got hit. Why don’t you just let us play the game?”
Hurdle was ejected and the Pirates would not score in the inning.
Mark Melancon came in for the ninth to close things out and allowed a single sandwiched in between two outs. Frazier then grounded a ball to Mercer, who threw the ball into the stands for an error allowing the run to score.
“I rushed the throw,” said Mercer. “I just didn’t get a grip on it. Same play that I’ve made 100 times. It just wasn’t a good throw. A terrible throw.”
Melancon then allowed three straight singles allowing the Reds to tie things up. Kyle Farnsworth allowed the winning run in the tenth when Joey Votto hit a solo-shot barely over the wall in left to complete the comeback.
Final Score: Reds 6, Pirates 5
Starters Lines
Line on Liriano (ND): 8 IN, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB’ 7 K’s, 1 HR. 94 Pitches (62 Strikes)
Latos (ND): 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 2 HR. 88 Pitches (61 Strikes)
These two will be back at it tomorrow night for game two of the 3-game set at 7:05.
Tomorrow’s Starters
(RHP) A.J. Burnett (PIT): 8 – 11, 3.43 ERA
(RHP) Homer Bailey (CIN): 11 – 10, 3.40 ERA
(Photo Credit: Al Behrman / AP)
