Colin Moran victimized his former team for a go-ahead grand slam and a two-run homer to rally the Cincinnati Reds past the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates 7-3 on Sunday afternoon.
Down 2-0 entering the sixth inning, Moran’s grand slam came two batters after Tommy Pham worked a bases-loaded walk. It was the fifth bases-loaded home run of his career.
The come-from-behind victory gave Cincinnati its first series win in nine tries. The Reds split their season-opening series then lost their last seven series before taking two of three from Pittsburgh. It was Cincinnati’s third win in 24 games.
Moran followed up his sixth inning slam with a two-run homer in the eighth to give him a career-high six RBIs.
Michael Perez and Bryan Reynolds hit home runs for the Pirates, who ended their five-game road trip with a 2-3 mark and lost for the eighth time in 11 games.
Right-hander Art Warren (1-1) entered in the sixth for the Reds and pitched two scoreless innings for the second win by a Reds reliever this season.
The Pirates managed just one hit off Reds starter Tyler Mahle in five innings, but it was a big one. After a leadoff walk to Yoshi Tsutsugo in the second inning, Mahle retired the next two batters. Perez then ended a nine-pitch battle by driving a 94-mph fastball to the seats in right-center for a 2-0 Pittsburgh lead.
Perez was playing his first game since being promoted from Triple-A Indianapolis after Roberto Perez (hamstring) went on the injured list after he was hurt in the first game of Saturday’s doubleheader.
Mahle was pulled after five innings and 106 pitches, keeping the Reds as the only team in the major leagues without a starter to go at least six innings this season. The right-hander struck out six while walking three.
Pirates starter Zach Thompson also was effective. He allowed just two hits while striking out six over five shutout innings with no walks. Still Pirates manager Derek Shelton chose to pull his starter after only 79 pitches.
Shelton went to lefty Dillon Peters (3-1), who had not allowed a run in 16 2/3 innings this season. The reliever, who didn’t allow a hit in the first 21 batters faced this season, yielded a bloop hit to right to Brandon Drury, and then walked the next three batters to force in the Reds’ first run. Peters did not retire a batter before Shelton went to former Reds closer Heath Hembree.
Hembree was brought on to face the bases loaded, none out jam and promptly struck out Kyle Farmer. But Moran drilled a 92-mph fastball into the seats in right for Cincinnati’s first grand slam this season.
–Field Level Media
