Reds lose yet another 1-run game, 3-2 to Pirates

JOHN PERROTTO
Associated Press

PITTSBURGH (AP) — Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price figures it is pointless to break down his club’s performance this late in the season.

“Everyone knows our strengths and weaknesses by now,” he said. “We don’t score runs consistently enough and it’s hurt us in close games all season.”

That was a problem again Saturday as Neil Walker hit a three-run homer in the first inning and the Pittsburgh Pirates made it hold up behind starter Vance Worley, beating the Reds 3-2 for their fourth straight victory.

Cincinnati fell to 19-33 in one-run games, the most losses in the majors.

“Pretty amazing,” third baseman Todd Frazier said. “No words can explain 33 one-run losses. You win one-third of those and you’re in contention.”

Instead, the Reds (65-71) are six games under .500.

Walker’s 18th home run put the Pirates ahead 3-0 against Alfredo Simon four batters into the game. Pittsburgh’s winning streak matches its longest of the season.

In the thick of the NL playoff race, the Pirates have won the first two games of the three-game series despite scoring in only two innings. They had a two-run rally in the eighth Friday for a 2-1 victory.

“It’s a testament to our pitching,” Walker said. “We only scored three runs today and Vance and the bullpen made it stand up. That’s what won it for us.”

Worley (6-4) allowed two runs — one earned — and three hits in 6 1-3 innings to snap a career-worst, three-start skid. Mark Melancon pitched a perfect ninth for his 26th save after Justin Wilson and Tony Watson combined for 1 2-3 scoreless innings.

Despite retiring 12 batters in a row between the third and sixth, Simon (13-9) fell to 1-6 since pitching in his first All-Star game last month.

Frazier homered for the Reds, who lost their seventh road game in a row. Simon allowed four hits and three walks in seven innings while striking out seven.

“This was pretty much the story of his second half,” Price said. “He has some trouble getting out of the gate and then he’s fine. The bottom line, though, is we have to score more than two runs.”

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: No injury updates.

Pirates: 3B Pedro Alvarez (sprained left foot) missed his third straight game, and RF Travis Snider (strained right hamstring) sat out for the second day in a row. … RHP Charlie Morton (right hip inflammation/sports hernia) won’t be able to get stretched out enough to rejoin the starting rotation by the time he is eligible to be activated from the disabled next Friday, but said he would be willing to pitch in relief.

UP NEXT

Reds: RHP Johnny Cueto (15-8, 2.26 ERA) looks to snap a two-start losing streak in which he has allowed six runs over 11 1-3 innings for a 4.76 ERA. He faces LHP Francisco Liriano in a rematch of last year’s NL wild-card game. Cueto is 16-4 with a 2.26 ERA in 25 career starts against Pittsburgh.

Pirates: Liriano (3-10, 3.98) is 0-3 with a 4.03 ERA in his last five starts, but he pitched six scoreless innings Monday against St. Louis. Though he won the wild-card game last season, Liriano is 0-5 with a 4.25 ERA against the Reds in seven regular-season starts.

BAD YEAR FOR BRUCE

Reds RF Jay Bruce called this season “the most embarrassing year of my life.” He went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, dropping his batting average to .217.

Bruce is 4 for 32 with 15 strikeouts in his last nine games. He is 2 for 12 in his career against Worley.

MORE BENCH HELP

The Pirates recalled a player from Triple-A Indianapolis for the second straight day, bringing up INF Brent Morel to help off the bench with Alvarez and Snider unavailable. 1B-OF John Lambo was recalled on Friday night.

LHP Jeff Locke was optioned to Indianapolis in a procedural move. He will remain with the Pirates and be recalled Monday when major league rosters expand. Locke is scheduled to start Tuesday night at St. Louis.

Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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