Reds can’t overcome Pirates fast start in 9-3 loss

Published 3:42 am Tuesday, April 19, 2011

CINCINNATI (AP) — One starting pitcher got arrested. Another got off to a miserable start. Not a good day overall for the Reds’ rotation, one that’s suddenly become something of a concern.

Andrew McCutchen doubled home two runs as part of Pittsburgh’s biggest offensive showing this season, and the Pirates took advantage of another slow-starting Cincinnati pitcher, beating the Reds 9-3 on Monday night.

“Long day,” manager Dusty Baker said, settling into his chair after the game.

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The Pirates scored three runs in the first off left-hander Travis Wood (1-2), the second game in a row that a Reds starter couldn’t get going. The Pirates ended up with a season high in runs.

Kevin Correia (3-1) gave up four hits during his second career complete game, using the big early lead to his advantage.

Pittsburgh took three of four in the series, giving the defending NL Central champs their comeuppance before a crowd of 12,777 that groaned a lot. The Pirates have won their first three road series for the first time since 2002, when they dropped 89 games.

Scott Rolen led off the second with a double to center and scored on a throwing error by third baseman Steve Pearce. The Reds didn’t get another hit until the eighth, when Pittsburgh was in control. Chris Heisey hit a two-run homer in the ninth off Correia, who improved to 7-1 against the Reds.

The victory boosted the Pirates — who are coming off a 105-loss campaign and have an 18-year streak of losing seasons — to 8-8.

It was a bad day in several ways for the Reds. Starting pitcher Mike Leake got arrested for shoplifting at a downtown department store in the afternoon. He issued an apology and watched from the bench. Leake beat the Pirates 11-2 on Saturday for Cincinnati’s only win of the series.

Suddenly, the defending division champs have issues with their rotation, which is missing Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey. Both are on rehab stints in the minors, recovering from shoulder problems that forced them to start the season on the disabled list.

Despite that, Cincinnati has managed to stay in first place since opening day.

“We’re not worried,” outfielder Jay Bruce said. “It’s what, April 18? There’s a lot of baseball left to play, and you know what? If the season ended today, we’d be in first place.”

In the last two games, the Reds fell behind big, with Edinson Volquez and Wood getting roughed up before they could get three outs. The only question: Would it be enough?

Pittsburgh scored four in the first off Volquez on Sunday, then blew the lead and had to rally for a 7-6 win on McCutchen’s RBI single in the eighth inning. The seven runs were a season high.

A day later, the Pirates got off fast and kept going to yet another season high. They sent eight batters to the plate for a 3-0 lead against Wood, who needed 42 pitches to get through the first inning against one of the NL’s lowly lineups. The Pirates came in batting .236 as a team.

“I felt fine,” Wood said. “I was frustrated. You never want to throw 40 pitches in the first inning. It just wasn’t my night tonight.”

McCutchen’s two-run double made it 5-0 in the fourth and ended Wood’s outing. The left-hander was charged with eight runs on six hits in 3 1-3 innings.

At times, the Pirates didn’t even have to swing to score. Matt Diaz got hit by a pitch from Mark Maloney in the fifth, forcing in a run that made it 9-1. McCutchen, Diaz and Pearce each drove in a pair of runs.

The only bright spot came in the ninth, when left-hander Aroldis Chapman pitched a perfect inning and routinely hit triple digits on the radar gun. He sat out the last three games with a tender elbow.

“I feel good,” Chapman said, through a translator. “It was a normal day, like any other. My arm didn’t feel bad.”

Notes: Pearce made his second career start at third base. … Chapman threw a pitch that registered 106 mph on the scoreboard, but was clocked at 103 on another pitch tracker. … The Reds put utility player Juan Francisco on the 15-day DL with a strained calf and called up OF Jeremy Hermida from Triple-A Louisville.