The Pittsburgh Pirates and the Cincinnati Reds are slowly building a fierce rivalry in the NL Central. They played in the NL Wild Card game in 2013 and if April has taught anything so far, it’s that these two teams are well-equipped and should compete once again this year.
The games between these two sides have been exciting and very competitive all season long. Today it wasn’t the exception and there was action right until the end as the Pirates got a walk-off hit to take home a 6-5 victory.
The Cincinnati Reds, however, got off to a quick 2-0 lead after scoring in the first and in the third. Billy Hamilton kicked things off scoring on a FC from Brandon Phillips and later the 2B added a run of his own following an RBI double from Todd Frazier.
The Pirates had an ace down their sleeve though. After a single, a double and a HBP, recently acquired 1B Ike Davis stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded. The former Mets infielder delivered, hitting a Grand Slam to right field and giving the Pirates a two-run lead.
A sac fly from Billy Hamilton that scored Devin Mesoraco and Phillips’ second run of the night after an RBI double from Jay Bruce put the Reds on even count once again. Cincinnati managed to get the lead with a tag play that was challenged and turned out scoring Todd Frazier, but that would be all the offense they would get.
The Pirates, on the other hand, woke up when they needed it the most. A solo shot from reigning NL MVP Andrew McCutchen tied things up in the eighth and the final run was scored in the ninth on a walk-off hit by Neil Walker, giving the Pirates a spectacular walk-off win at PNC Park.
The Pirates took home the series opener against the Reds but if the previous encounters are of any indication, then this series will end up going to the wire. That’s everything the fans expect from two teams expected to make a push for the postseason this year.