Pirates 8, Reds 3
Neil Walker belted two of his team's six homers as visiting Pittsburgh clinched the top wild card in the National League.
Marlon Byrd was 3-for-4 with a two-run blast and Pedro Alvarez went deep for the second straight day as the Pirates hit six homers in a game for the first time since 2007. The victory earned Pittsburgh the right to host Cincinnati in Tuesday's wild-card game and render Sunday's series finale meaningless.
Andrew McCutchen joined the long-ball parade with his 21st blast and Andrew Lambo clubbed his first major-league homer for Pittsburgh, which sent the Reds to their fourth consecutive defeat. Vin Mazzaro (8-2) retired the only two batters he faced in relief of Charlie Morton, who lasted 4 1/3 innings and allowed three runs on five hits and five walks.
Reds starter Bronson Arroyo (14-12) was battered for five homers - a career worst - to push his National League-leading total to 32. He exited after Byrd's fifth-inning blast and was charged with six runs on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.
Cincinnati answered back-to-back blasts by Walker and McCutchen when Jay Bruce's two-RBI double capped a three-run third for a 3-2 lead. Alvarez tied it in the fourth and Walker put Pittsburgh ahead to stay in the fifth with his sixth blast in nine games before Byrd made it 6-3 three batters later.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Reds 1B Joey Votto drew three walks to give him 135 on the season, which eclipsed the franchise record set by Hall of Famer Joe Morgan (132) in 1975. Votto's total is the most in the majors since Barry Bonds set the all-time mark with 232 in 2004. ... Alvarez reached 100 RBIs with his 36th homer, tying Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt for the National League lead and marking the most by a Pittsburgh player since Brian Giles hit 38 in 2002. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips left for a pinch runner in the fifth inning after fouling a ball off his shin.