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Reds 4 Pirates 0
The Reds win again and snap a 13 game road losing streak in the process, beating the Pirates 4-0 Thursday night at PNC Park.
Connor Overton and two relievers combined to author the first shutout of the season by Reds pitching. It was Overton's first major league win.
The surging Reds have won 4 of their last 5 and 5 of 7. They are now 8-24.
Pitching, pitching, pitching: Overton became the first Reds pitcher to go at least six innings this season. 6.1 IN, 3 H, 0 R, 4 BB, 1 K, 91 pitches/50 strikes. He exited after a one out walk in the 7th. The Reds are the last team to have a starter go six innings, 32 games into the season. Nice pick up by Nick Krall on a minor league deal this past offseason. Overton was a 15th round pick of the Marlins in 2014. The Reds are his sixth organization, third in the last year.
Early action, again: The Reds got on the board when Mike Moustakas doubled and Tyler Stephenson drove him home with a single to make it 1-0 in the 2nd inning.
Budding All-Star: Stephenson collected three hits. He roped a laser of a solo homer in the 4th inning to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. He worked from an 0-2 count to 3-2 and then clobbered a slider 401 fee to left field. He singled in the 2nd and 8th innings. He's up to .349.
Insurance: Tommy Pham and Stephenson singled in the 8th inning and Colin Moran delivered again with an RBI single the other way to make it 3-0.
That's five consecutive games with at least one RBI for Moran, and 12 since Sunday. Tyler Naquin followed with his second hit of the night, a rocket off the wall in right field to score Stephenson and make it 4-0.
Cannon fire: Naquin gunned down Michael Perez trying to stretch a single into a double in the 2nd inning. It was Naquin's 30th career assist.
Bullpen: Luis Cessa took over for Overton and finished off the final two outs of the 7th inning and worked a clean 8th inning. Art Warrend handled the 9th inning.
Thieves! Naquin and Friedl each stole a base.
Local kid! LH reliever Cam Alldred made his ML debut for the Pirates. He's a Cincinnati Country Day and University of Cincinnati product. He's the first CCD player to make it to the majors and the 21st Bearcat. He tossed a scoreless 6th inning with a K and departed after allowing a leadoff single in the 7th.