Brandon Phillips drove in three runs and
Homer Bailey pitched six shutout innings, as the Cincinnati Reds closed the
2009 season with a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American
Ball Park.
Drew Stubbs went 3-for-4 with a pair of runs scored and Joey Votto added three
hits for the Reds (78-84), who finished the campaign with their ninth straight
losing season, their longest stretch of futility since an 11-year run from
1945-55.
Bailey (8-5) scattered seven hits, walked three and struck out seven to win
his third straight start. He was 6-1 with a 1.70 earned run average over his
last nine outings.
Andrew McCutchen and Robinzon Diaz each had two hits for Pittsburgh (62-99),
which avoided a 100-loss season, but has still not finished at .500 or better
since winning the NL East back in 1992.
Jeff Karstens (4-6) took the loss for the Pirates, allowing two runs on four
hits in 2 1/3 innings.
The Pirates left two on in the top of the first and the Reds answered with a
run in the home half, as Stubbs led off with a single and scored on a double
by Phillips.
Cincinnati left runners on second and third in the first, but tacked on a run
in the third. Stubbs again led off with a base hit, took second on a single by
Votto and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a grounder by
Phillips.
Pittsburgh ran into an out at home in the fourth, then failed to pick up a run
despite a leadoff triple by Steve Pearce in the fifth. Bailey threw out
Lastings Milledge at home in the fourth and struck out three straight batters
with Pearce on third in the fifth.
The Reds blew it open with four in the bottom of the fifth. Stubbs led off
again, but this time was called out on strikes. Paul Janish then walked and
Votto singled before Phillips doubled home a run. Scott Rolen then tripled to
score two more and trotted home on a single up the middle by Jay Bruce to make
it 6-0.
Phillips had a chance to drive in more runs in the sixth when he came up with
the bases loaded, but grounded into an inning-ending double play. He finished
the season with a career-best 98 runs batted in.
Game Notes
Phillips' previous best RBI season was 94 in 2007...The Reds blanked an
opponent for the 12th time this season...Pittsburgh was 0-for-13 with runners
in scoring position and left 13 on base, while Cincinnati was 6-for-13 with
runners in scoring position...The Pirates used seven pitchers...Cincinnati won
the season series 13-5...The Reds won 10 of their final 13 games.
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