Apr 7, 2017; St. Louis, MO, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Amir Garrett (50) pitches to a St. Louis Cardinals batter during the fifth inning of his Major League debut at Busch Stadium. Photo Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports
PITTSBURGH — It took until the fifth inning for the Cincinnati Reds to finally get to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday, but when they did, they broke through in a big way.
The Reds scored four runs in the fifth and added four runs in the seventh on the way to a 9-2 rout of the Pirates, completing a three-game series sweep.
Cincinnati (7-2) has won six of its past seven games.
Pirates starter Ivan Nova (1-1) kept Cincinnati in check through four frames, but in the fifth, Zack Cozart and Tucker Barnhart led off with back-to-back doubles. An error by David Freese on Amir Garrett’s bunt attempt kept things rolling, and then Billy Hamilton then slapped an RBI single to right. Jose Peraza piled on with a two-run double to left.
In the seventh, it was more of the same as Jose Peraza singled off Pirates reliever Antonio Bastardo. Joey Votto and Adam Duvall walked, and Eugenio Suarez cleared the bases with a doubled. Scott Schebler then doubled home Suarez.
Bastardo has allowed runs in each of his four appearances this season, including four in two-thirds of an inning Wednesday. His ERA is now 54.00.
Votto snapped an 0-for-12 streak with an RBI-single in the eighth that scored Barnhart.
Freese’s two-run home run in the seventh inning was the only damage the Pirates could muster against Reds starter Garrett (2-0). It was Freese’s second homer of the season and it snapped an 0-for-20 streak for the Pirates with runners in scoring position.
Garrett gave up five hits in 6 2/3 innings in his second major league start and struck out five. On the season, Garrett has pitched 12 2/3 innings and produced a 1.42 ERA and nine strikeouts.
Nova was touched for four runs (three earned) in six innings.
NOTES: The Reds placed RHP Rookie Davis on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised right forearm and recalled RHP Barrett Astin from Triple-A Louisville. Davis was hit by a pitch on Tuesday and will miss at least his next scheduled start. Manager Bryan Price did not announce a starter to take Davis’ spot Sunday in Milwaukee. Astin has made one appearance with Cincinnati this season, pitching 1/3 of an inning of relief against Philadelphia on April 3. … Pirates SS Jordy Mercer hit leadoff for the third time this season. He went 1-for-4 with a double, his first hit when leading off this season. … RF Andrew McCutchen picked up his first extra-base hit of the season with a double in the fourth and finished 2-for-4.
