Pirates 6, Reds 5
CINCINNATI -- Starling Marte hit his first career grand slam to erase a three-run deficit in the eighth inning helping the Pittsburgh Pirates remain undefeated with a 6-5 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on a frigid and at times snowy Friday night at Great American Ball Park.
Ryan Vogelsong (1-0) earned the victory for the Pirates who are 4-0 to start a season for the first time since 2003.
Both teams battled the elements, combining for five errors and four hit batters. There also were a combined 18 runners stranded.
Brandon Phillips returned from missing two games due to illness and hit a solo homer, had two RBIs and scored twice.
With the Reds leading 5-2 with the bases loaded and two outs in the eighth, manager Bryan Price summoned closer J.J. Hoover (0-1) from the bullpen. Marte launched Hoover's second pitch 404 feet into the left-center field seats to put Pittsburgh ahead 6-5.
It was the Pirates first home run of the season in their 131st at-bat.
Mark Melancon earned his second save with the help of Andrew McCutchen who made a lunging catch of Eugenio Suarez's line drive in center field.
Moments after a heavy snow shower moved through, Simon worked around a walk and a hit batsman in his first inning.
Cincinnati scored twice off Francisco Liriano in the bottom half.
After Suarez singled and scored from third on a groundout, Phillips launched Liriano's first offering 401 feet into the center field batter's eye to make it 2-0.
Liriano helped his cause with an RBI double in the second for his second RBI this season. He also recorded his 1,400th career strikeout an inning later.
Simon allowed two runs and five hits through five innings. Four of those hits came from Jordy Mercer and Liriano, who had two apiece.
Cincinnati had the bases loaded in the third and fourth innings but double-play grounders helped Liriano escape further trouble.
Mercer also threw Phillips out at home trying to score from second when third baseman David Freese misplayed a ground ball as the Pirates trailed 3-2 after five.
The wintry, wet conditions contributed to some sloppy play as the teams combined for four errors through five frames. Suarez committed two errors in the fifth.
Liriano also was done after five innings as well having allowed three runs with four walks and three strikeouts.
NOTES: Reds RHP Anthony DeSclafani will not start Sunday's series finale against the Pirates as originally planned. He is on the disabled list with a strained left oblique and still isn't 100 percent. ... Cincinnati selected the contract of 1B Brandon Allen from Triple-A Louisville on Friday. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips returned to the lineup after missing two games with a stomach virus. ... The University of Cincinnati is hosting "Josh Harrison Day" on Saturday in honor of the Pirates second baseman and Bearcats alum.