Pirates pull off doubleheader sweep of Reds
CINCINNATI -- Sean Rodriguez homered in the fourth inning and Andrew McCutchen had a two-run single during a four-run second inning, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 7-3 victory and a doubleheader sweep of the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.
The Pirates won the first game of the day-night doubleheader 10-4, to make up a May 10 rainout. They've now won four straight and five of six to keep their fading postseason hopes alive.
Right-hander Juan Nicasio (10-6) pitched two scoreless innings to earn the win. Tony Watson earned his 14th save.
Reds starter Brandon Finnegan (9-11) lasted only 2 1/3 innings, matching his shortest start of the season.
Cincinnati loaded the bases trailing by three runs with one out in the seventh. But, Felipe Rivero struck out two straight batters to end the inning. Rivero struck out three over 1 2/3 innings.
Finnegan made his 30th start of the season on Saturday night, which initially was going to be his limit this season. But manager Bryan Price later said Finnegan might remain in the rotation beyond Saturday's start.
A fielding error by right fielder Scott Schebler helped spark a four-run second inning, thus elevating Finnegan's pitch count.
Catcher Eric Fryer started the scoring for Pittsburgh with a sacrifice fly. Jordy Mercer's sinking liner was booted by Schebler, allowing the second run to score, ahead of a two-run single by McCutchen that made it 4-0.
The Pirates sent nine batters to the plate in the first inning, pushing Finnegan's pitch count to 52 through two innings.
Things got worse for Finnegan in the third when he walked Trevor Williams with the bases loaded to force home a run. Williams was credited with his first career RBI.
Rodriguez's 16th home run of the season and second of the day made the score 6-0 in the fourth.
Williams retired the first nine batters he faced, but he didn't retire a batter in the fifth when Schebler and Ramon Cabrera hit back-to-back home runs to make the score 6-2.
NOTES: Pirates LF Starling Marte missed his 12th straight game with lower back spasms. Marte was expected to play in one of the games in Saturday's doubleheader but suffered a setback on Friday, according to manager Clint Hurdle. ... An error by Pirates SS Sean Rodriguez in the second inning of the first game in the doubleheader was changed to a hit for Reds C Tucker Barnhart. ... Rodriguez's home run in the third inning of the first game was the 237th allowed by Reds pitchers, a club record for a season. It is two shy of a National League record and four short of the major-league mark.