PITTSBURGH (AP) — Bryan Price has watched the same thing over and over.

The Cincinnati Reds’ manager makes a call to the bullpen and a reliever comes into the game and promptly gives up a home run to the first batter he faces. It’s happened 23 times this season.

The latest occurrence came Friday night when Sean Rodriguez homered to open the bottom of the ninth inning, giving the Pittsburgh Pirates a 3-2 victory.

Rodriguez connected off Ross Ohlendorf (5-7), a 413-foot drive to the left-field bleachers that gave the Pirates just their second win in seven games in the midst of 12 straight games against teams who are at least 10 games under .500.

“You can imagine how I feel about that at this point and I’m going to walk away from it,” Price said. “I’m obviously very frustrated by it.”

The Reds tied the score 2-2 in the top of the ninth on pinch-hitter Ramon Cabrera’s sacrifice fly off Tony Watson (2-3), who blew his first save in two opportunities since All-Star closer Mark Melancon was traded to Washington last Saturday.

“It’s hard for me to come into that situation at that point and let us down,” Ohlendorf said. “It’s really disappointing. It’s a game we were in positon to win and I didn’t give us a chance.”

It was Rodriguez’s second career game-ending homer and his 11th home run of the season. He said he stepped to the plate looking to be aggressive.

“When I try to be too passive, that’s when I swing and miss a lot,” Rodriguez said. “When I take my swing, it’s because I’m getting in my ready position and able to get my swing off. I was able to get a pitch I was able to get my swing off and hit it as good as I needed to.”

Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani allowed two runs and two hits in six innings with six strikeouts and three walks, and has yet to lose in 11 starts this season. He began the season on the disabled list with a strained oblique before being activated June 10.

Pirates rookie Jameson Taillon gave up only one run in six innings with six strikeouts and one walk in his fifth consecutive quality start. He has not factored in the decision in any of his five career home starts.

The Pirates scored twice in the fifth inning to take a 2-1 lead as David Freese walked and John Jaso doubled before Francisco Cervelli hit a tying sacrifice fly. Jordy Mercer followed with a squeeze bunt to bring in the go-ahead run.

DeSclafani allowed fewer than three runs for the eighth time in nine starts as the Reds, last in the NL Central, began a nine-game road trip.

The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the first inning on Brandon Phillips’ RBI single. He had two of Cincinnati’s six hits and is 7 for 11 in his last three games.

Slumping Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen returned to the lineup after being given a three-day “mental break” and went 0 for 2 with two strikeouts. The 2013 NL MVP is 1 for 14 in his last four games, dropping his batting average to .240.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: RHP Alfredo Simon (strained right trapezius) and RHP A.J. Morris (strained right shoulder) are scheduled to begin rehabilitation assignments Sunday with Triple-A Louisville. … SS Zack Cozart returned after missing the previous three games with a bruised right ring finger.

Pirates: RF Gregory Polanco (left shoulder discomfort) was not in the lineup for a second straight game. … C Cervelli returned after being hit the head Tuesday by a pitch and sitting out two games.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Homer Bailey (1-0, 3.18 ERA), who underwent Tommy John elbow ligament reconstruction surgery last year, will make his second start of the season. He won at San Diego on Sunday, allowing two runs and 5 2/3 innings.

Pirates: RHP Ivan Nova (7-6, 4.90) will debut for his new team after being acquired Monday from the New York Yankees in a trade. He had spent his entire seven-year career with the Yankees.

FRIDAY’S GAME

Pirates 3, Reds 2

Cincinnati AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Hamilton cf 4 0 1 0 1 1 .252

Cozart ss 4 1 1 0 0 1 .266

Votto 1b 3 0 1 0 1 0 .290

Duvall lf 4 0 0 0 0 1 .245

Phillips 2b 3 0 2 1 1 0 .271

Schebler rf 4 0 0 0 0 3 .215

Suarez 3b 3 1 0 0 1 0 .237

Barnhart c 3 0 1 0 0 1 .255

DeSclafani p 2 0 0 0 0 2 .143

a-De Jesus ph 1 0 0 0 0 1 .228

Lorenzen p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

Wood p 0 0 0 0 0 0 .000

c-Cabrera ph 0 0 0 1 0 0 .261

Ohlendorf p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

Totals 31 2 6 2 4 10

 

Pittsburgh AB R H BI BB SO Avg.

Harrison 2b 4 0 1 0 0 1 .266

Marte lf 4 0 1 0 0 1 .319

McCutchen cf 2 0 0 0 2 1 .240

Joyce rf 3 0 0 0 0 2 .277

Rivero p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

Feliz p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

b-Polanco ph 0 0 0 0 1 0 .283

Watson p 0 0 0 0 0 0 —

Freese 3b 3 1 1 0 1 0 .279

Jaso 1b 3 1 1 0 0 0 .254

Rodriguez 1b 1 1 1 1 0 0 .246

Cervelli c 2 0 1 1 0 1 .260

Mercer ss 2 0 0 1 0 1 .275

Taillon p 2 0 0 0 0 2 .000

Frazier rf 1 0 0 0 0 0 .322

Totals 27 3 6 3 4 9

 

Cincinnati 100 000 001 = 2 6 2

Pittsburgh 000 020 001 = 3 6 0

 

No outs when winning run scored.

a-struck out for DeSclafani in the 7th. b-walked for Feliz in the 8th. c- out on sacrifice fly for Wood in the 9th.

E—Suarez (17), Barnhart (7). LOB—Cincinnati 8, Pittsburgh 6. 2B—Barnhart (15), Jaso (17). HR—Rodriguez (11), off Ohlendorf. RBIs—Phillips (41), Cabrera (11), Cervelli (24), Mercer (39), Rodriguez (33). SB—Hamilton (39), Phillips (7), Suarez (8), Marte (38), McCutchen (4). CS—Harrison (2). SF—Cabrera, Cervelli. S—Barnhart, Mercer.

Runners left in scoring position—Cincinnati 5 (Cozart, Votto, Schebler 2, Suarez); Pittsburgh 3 (Joyce, Freese, Frazier). RISP—Cincinnati 1 for 8; Pittsburgh 0 for 5.

GIDP—Joyce.

DP—Cincinnati 1 (Cozart, Votto).

 

Cincinnati IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

DeSclafani 6 2 2 2 3 6 106 2.94

Lorenzen 1 2 0 0 0 1 15 2.42

Wood 1 1 0 0 1 2 16 3.48

Ohlendorf L, 5-7 0 1 1 1 0 0 8 4.56

 

Pittsburgh IP H R ER BB SO NP ERA

Taillon 6 6 1 1 1 6 102 3.29

Rivero H, 18 1 0 0 0 0 2 13 0.00

Feliz H, 24 1 0 0 0 2 1 21 3.19

Watson W, 2-3 1 0 1 1 1 1 18 2.72

 

IBB—off Wood (Polanco).

Umpires—Home, Fieldin Culbreth; First, Toby Basner; Second, Manny Gonzalez; Third, Jim Reynolds.

T—3:04. A—28,882 (38,362).