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Friday, Sep. 8 5:05pm ET
Reds strand 14 runners in loss | |||||
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GAME LOG
PITTSBURGH (AP) -- This is the kind of September streak that can alter division races and win championships. The Pittsburgh Pirates' only problem is they waited until they were 26 games out to start it. Alex Ramirez's two-run triple broke up a scoreless game in the sixth inning and the Pirates ran their winning streak to eight, beating the Cincinnati Reds 3-1 Friday night to sweep a doubleheader. Jason Kendall doubled in two runs and Alex Hernandez hit his first major league homer as the Pirates won the first game 7-3 behind Todd Ritchie's effective pitching. The Pirates had lost 31 of 46 and were 26 games below .500 with the majors' worst record until starting their longest winning streak since they won eight in a row Aug. 16-27, 1998. "They were saying we were the worst team in baseball, and that's a label you don't want to have," Keith Osik said. "There's enough guys in here who know that the season is a grind and you've got to play it all the way to the end." The Reds, who have not been shut out in 142 games this season, matched a season high by stranding 14 runners in the second game. They trailed 3-0 before Pokey Reese's two-out RBI single in the eighth off rookie Matt Skrmetta, the fourth of the Pirates' seven pitchers. The Reds then pulled off their second double steal of the game, but pinch-hitter Chris Stynes grounded out. "It's great to get them on, but you've also got to get them in," manager Jack McKeon said. "You can't leave two men on base every inning like we did and expect to win. They jumped on the only opportunity they had." Ron Villone (9-9) took a three-hit shutout into the sixth in only his third start since July 22, only to get in trouble by walking pinch-hitter Adrian Brown and hitting Pat Meares with a pitch with one out. "We did it in the first game and we did it in the second game. You can't walk leadoff hitters," McKeon said. Enrique Wilson struck out before Ramirez, acquired from Cleveland with Wilson in the Wil Cordero trade, tripled to score both runners. Osik then fouled off a half-dozen pitches while running the count to 3-2 before hitting a double that made it 3-0. "That was an important run we got there," manager Gene Lamont said. "It might have been a different story if we hadn't gotten that run." Villone said, "The bottom line is this game will drive you nuts. You would like to take it back, but you can't do it. You just close the page and go on to tomorrow." Pirates rookie Bronson Arroyo (3-5), ineffective in relief after going 2-4 with a 6.55 ERA as a starter, pitched five shutout innings in his first start since Aug. 6. He struck out four and overcame three walks, striking out Villone with the bases loaded to strand three runners in the fourth. "I didn't want to be the guy who messed this (winning streak) up," Arroyo said. "I felt great the first two innings, but I've only been throwing 25-30 pitches in relief and I was running on fumes after that. I was lucky to pitch five." Mike Williams, the Pirates' seventh pitcher, got the final out for his 19th save in 24 chances. The doubleheader was the first between the two in Three Rivers since Aug. 22, 1975, when the Pirates swept a Reds team that led the NL West by 16 games. Game notesThe Pirates are 8-0 this month. They last had a winning September in 1992. ... The doubleheader was the Reds' first of the season. ... The Pirates have moved from last place to a third-place tie with Milwaukee in the NL Central during their winning streak. ... The Pirates had split eight doubleheaders since sweeping the Giants on Sept. 15, 1996. ... The Reds were swept for the second time in their last 14 doubleheaders, with the other sweep coming May 19, 1998, against the New York Mets. ... Pirates outfielder Adam Hyzdu, an 11-year minor league veteran, singled in his first major league at-bat in the second game. His number was retired this week by Double-A Altoona. ... Reds reliever Mark Wohlers, who walked four of six batters in his previous outing, retired the four batters he faced in the second game. | ALSO SEE Baseball Scoreboard Cincinnati Clubhouse Pittsburgh Clubhouse Reds' Larkin, Taubensee undergo surgery
RECAPS NY Yankees 4 Boston 0
Pittsburgh 3
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