In the wee hours of the morning at the Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati, Ohio, the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-4 in extra innings thanks to a walk-off single from Joey Votto.
Mike Leake did not have a very good outing for the Reds as he finished the night pitching 5.2 innings, while giving up just three runs (all of the earned) striking six but also walking six in a no decision. The walks is the most glaring stat as he will have to cut those down throughout the course of the season. Pittsburgh's Gerrit Cole, who also did not factor in the decision, gave up three earned runs and gave up a home run while striking out six as well.
The Cincinnati Reds got on the board in the bottom of the first inning, after Pirates' ace Garret Cole retired the first two batters, off of Todd Frazier's second home run of the season with a line drive just over the left field fence. Their lead did not last long, however, as Pittsburgh answered right back in the top half of the second. Neil Walker fell behind the count but worked his way back and drew a walk to lead off the inning. After Starling Marte got out because of a liner, Pedro Alvarez stepped up and delivered. Alvarez doubled past Billy Hamilton which allowed Walker to score from first base.
It would take the Reds just one inning to retake the lead. Zack Cozart led off the inning with a seeing-eye double. Then it was the pitchers turn to bat and Leake did his job perfectly by sacrificing Cozart over to third base. Cole threw a wild pitch that brought in Cincinnati's short stop from third base. This game was back and forth and Pittsburgh struck quickly in the top of the fourth. Starling Marte reached base on a double off of a good looking slider from Leake and Francisco Cervelli doubled two batters later.
Neither ball club was able to grab a stranglehold on this game as each side were going toe-to-toe with each other. Brandon Phillips grounded a ball up the middle that brought home Todd Frazier from second who has been hot offensively to start the season. Josh Harrison and Gregory Planco walked to start the fifth inning. After Andrew McCutchen grounded out, Neil Walker doubled to bring in Harrison from third base. Surprisingly, the two teams would not score again until the seventh.
Pittsburgh would finally take their first lead of the night in the top half of that frame, unfortunately, it would also be their last run of the ball game. McCutchen led off the seventh with a walk and moved over to second due to a balk. Corey Hart stepped up to the dish and delivered when called upon as he the ball through the middle of the infield bringing in McCutchen to take the 4-3 lead over the Reds. Cincinnati answered right away. Billy Hamilton moved up to second off of a wild pitch from Antonio Bastardo and Joey Votto made him pay for that mistake as the speedy Hamilton was able to cross the plate off of a Votto single.
In extra innings, J.J. Hoover pitched spectacularly for Cincinnati throwing two strong innings as gave up just one hit while striking out just one batter. Cozart was hit by a pitch from Radhamas Liz and Cozart walk to lead off the bottom of the eleventh inning. On an 84 mph changeup from Liz, Joey Votto came up huge and gave the Reds their second consecutive win to start the year.
The two sides will meet in less than twelve hours as these two ball clubs wrap up the series with the Pirates looking to get a victory and avoid being swept to open the season.