Pirates 5, Reds 3
James McDonald pitched his best game of the season and outdueled Pittsburgh nemesis Johnny Cueto as the visiting Pirates completed a two-game sweep over the Cincinnati Reds with a 5-3 triumph Thursday afternoon.
Neil Walker drove in two runs, Andrew McCutchen added two doubles and Ryan Doumit homered for Pittsburgh, which has won five of six against the National League Central Division leaders this season.
Jay Bruce homered twice for Cincinnati, which completed a 6-2 homestand and now goes on the road for 10 games against Cleveland, Philadelphia and Atlanta.
Cueto (2-1) entered 9-2 with a 2.62 ERA in 13 starts against Pittsburgh, including a one-hit shutout last May. The righthander was charged with three runs and five hits over five frames in this one, the first earned runs he’s allowed in three starts this season. Cueto had won his last seven decisions against the cellar dwellers and had allowed just a run and 10 hits over 28 innings in his last four starts.
McDonald (3-3), who had failed to complete five frames in four of his first eight starts this season, allowed just a run and seven hits in 6 2/3 innings. He walked one and struck out four and the only blemish was Bruce’s ninth homer in the second inning.
Joey Votto singled in a run off the Pittsburgh bullpen in the eighth and Bruce homered off closer Joel Hanrahan in the ninth before the hard-throwing righthander notched his 12th save in 12 chances.
Cueto held Pittsburgh scoreless until McCutchen doubled with two outs in the fifth and scored the first run on a single by Xavier Paul. Walker followed two batters later with a two-run double to deep center for a 3-1 lead.
Doumit provided Pittsburgh an insurance run with his fourth homer in the sixth off Joe Smith and McCutchen added a run-scoring double in the eighth.