Pirates 5, Reds 3
Neil Walker had a tiebreaking RBI single and Brandon Wood added an RBI double in the seventh inning, leading the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 5-3 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds on Saturday.
Ryan Ludwick and Ronny Cedeno each drove in a run for Pittsburgh, which has won eight of the 11 meetings between the teams this season.
The Pirates fell out of the National League Central race due in large part to a 10-game losing streak, but still have a shot at ending a streak of 18 straight losing seasons – the longest stretch of futility in North American sports history.
Jose Veras worked the eighth and Joel Hanrahan, who allowed three runs in the ninth inning on Friday, threw a perfect ninth for his 31st save in 33 chances. It was Hanrahan’s first save since July 28.
Tony Watson (1-2) earned the win after relieving Chris Resop, who gave up a game-tying RBI double to Ramon Hernandez in the seventh.
Pittsburgh bounced back from Friday’s 11-8 loss by snapping a 3-3 tie with two runs off Aroldis Chapman (2-1) in the seventh. Walker’s single to right field gave the Pirates a 4-3 lead before Wood followed with a double.