Santiago’s slam sends Reds over Pirates 10-6

JOE KAY
AP Sports Writer

CINCINNATI (AP) — The Reds put a big dent in Pittsburgh’s division title hopes.

Todd Frazier had a tying two-run homer in the seventh inning and Ramon Santiago hit a grand slam in the 10th, powering Cincinnati to a 10-6 victory on Saturday.

Pittsburgh started the day a game behind first-place St. Louis, which lost at Arizona 5-2 later in the day. The Pirates have already clinched at least a wild card and would host that game on Wednesday.

“Wasn’t that an ugly game?” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “That was a really ugly game — not very well-played. Missed signs. Defensive mistakes. There were a lot of peculiarities to that one. To come back and win is really nice.”

Jordy Mercer homered, and Neil Walker drove in three runs with a bases-loaded single and a triple as the Pirates pulled ahead 6-4 but couldn’t hold on.

John Axford (0-1) walked Frazier to open the 10th and gave up Chris Heisey’s single and another walk with one out. Left-hander Bobby LaFromboise relieved, retired Bryan Pena on a shallow fly out, then gave up Santiago’s first career grand slam.

“We’ve still got one more game left,” Santiago said. “We want to play the game the right way, and you want to go home with a good feeling.”

Dylan Axelrod (2-1) retired the side in the top of the 10th.

For the second year in a row, the Pirates are finishing the regular season in Cincinnati on a playoff surge. Last year, they swept a three-game series at Great American Ball Park to clinch home-field advantage in the wild card game, and then beat the Reds at PNC Park in that one, too.

The Pirates’ latest push includes 13 wins in the last 17 games. The loss on Saturday stalled their climb toward the top — they haven’t been in first place since April 8 — and gave the Cardinals some room.

The Reds snapped a club-record streak of 45 consecutive losses when they allowed at least six runs in a game. Their bullpen got its first win since the All-Star break — Reds relievers are 1-17 over that span.

The Reds are 24-42 since the All-Star break. They’ll at least tie the club record for fewest wins since the All-Star game. The 1933 team won 25 for the previous mark.

Pittsburgh had to overcome a rare off-day by Francisco Liriano, who gave up five runs in five innings. It was only the second time in 14 starts since the All-Star break that he’d allowed more than two runs. He remained 0-5 career in the regular season against the Reds, although he beat them in the wild card game last season.

Starling Marte extended his hitting streak to 12 games, matching his career high. Josh Harrison extended his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games, the longest by a Pirate in two years.

JOCKETTY STAYS

The Reds extended GM Walt Jocketty’s contract for two years through the 2016 season. His status was the last major question heading into the offseason. Jocketty was elevated to the job in 2008.

NO SWEAT

Simon hit a grounder to second baseman Neil Walker in the second inning, jogged a few steps down the line and turned toward the dugout while the ball was still in play.

STATS

Mercer’s 12 homers are the most by a Pirates shortstop since Pat Meares hit 13 in 2000. … Harrison’s 15-game hitting streak is the longest by a Pirate since Neil Walker hit safely in 17 straight in 2012. … Simon was 12-3 when he was picked for his first All-Star game. In 14 starts the rest of the way, he went 3-7.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Pirates: Catcher Russell Martin was out of the lineup with a sore left hamstring that began bothering him on Wednesday.

Reds: Center fielder Billy Hamilton was out of the lineup and won’t play on Sunday, either, because of a concussion suffered on Wednesday. Hamilton leads all NL rookies in runs, hits, doubles, stolen bases and RBIs.

ON DECK

Pirates: Gerrit Cole (11-5) tries to extend his streak. The right-hander has won each of his last four starts.

Reds: Johnny Cueto (19-9) tries to become the Reds’ first 20-game winner since left-hander Danny Jackson in 1988 and the first Reds right-hander since Sammy Ellis in 1965.

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Follow Joe Kay on Twitter: http://twitter.com/apjoekay

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

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