Pirates at Reds
The Pittsburgh Pirates rediscovered their offense to snap a four-game losing skid and put themselves in position to win their second series of the season against the Cincinnati Reds heading into Thursday afternoon's rubber match at Great American Ball Park. The Pirates (27-21) had mustered just 11 runs during their four-game losing streak after averaging 6.3 in winning eight of their previous nine contests.
Josh Harrison capped a four-hit performance with an RBI triple in the 12th inning of Wednesday's 5-4 win to improve to 8-for-15 in three games since returning from a month-plus-long absence due to a hand injury. Harrison also scored on an RBI single from Corey Dickerson, who also had four hits Wednesday and has ravaged the Reds to the tune of going 11-for-24 with seven RBIs in five games during the season series. Scooter Gennett went deep in the sixth inning on Wednesday for his seventh homer among 25 hits, 20 RBIs and 13 runs scored in his last 15 games for cellar-dwelling Cincinnati (17-33). The 28-year-old Cincinnati native answered a 1-for-16 performance in the previous series versus Pittsburgh by going 4-for-7 in this set headed into a matchup versus Thursday starter Ivan Nova, against whom he is 1-for-11.
TV: 12:35 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS Ohio (Cincinnati)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Pirates RH Ivan Nova (2-4, 4.79 ERA) vs. Reds RH Luis Castillo (3-4, 5.61)
Nova fell to 0-3 in his last six starts despite recording his first quality start since April 26 with a three-run, six-inning performance versus San Diego on Friday. The 31-year-old Dominican owns a 3-6 mark in nine career starts against Cincinnati, including a 1-4 record with a 5.08 ERA in five appearances at Great American Ball Park. Tucker Barnhart is 6-for-15 with seven RBIs in his career versus Nova, but the right-hander has subdued Jose Peraza (2-for-13).
Castillo kept the ball in the park for the first time since April 16, but a career high-tying five walks drove up his pitch count and left him with a no-decision in Saturday's contest versus the Chicago Cubs. The 25-year-old Dominican weaved his way in and out of trouble and stranded a runner in scoring position in each of the five innings he worked. Castillo allowed four runs on six hits in five frames of a 14-3 setback at Pittsburgh on April 6.
WALK-OFFS
1. Cincinnati 3B Eugenio Suarez is 8-for-21 against Pittsburgh this season.
2. Pittsburgh CF Austin Meadows is 6-for-15 with two homers, three RBIs and three runs scored since being recalled from Triple A-Indianapolis.
3. Peraza has hit safely in the first two contests of this series after going 0-for-13 in his previous four games.