Scuffling Pirates drop fourth straight to surging Reds in first game of homestand
PITTSBURGH — Austin Hays had three hits and two RBIs, and scored the go-ahead run Monday night as the Cincinnati Reds beat the Pittsburgh Pirates 7-1 for their fifth consecutive victory.
Gavin Lux hit two doubles, his second scoring Hays in the sixth inning to break a 1-1 tie. Hays singled with two outs, continued to second on shortstop Isiah Kiner-Falefa’s throwing error and then scored on Lux’s line drive to left field.
TJ Friedl also had three of the Reds’ 11 hits, and Elly De La Cruz had two hits and two RBIs.
Reds left-hander Nick Lodolo (4-4) allowed one run and four hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked one.
Lynn Richardson, Scott Barlow and Brent Suter finished with one scoreless inning each.
Mitch Keller (1-6) also pitched six innings and gave up two runs (one earned) and six hits with five strikeouts and one walk. Keller has not won since his season debut March 28 at Miami, and the Pirates have lost his last seven starts.
The Pirates are 3-7 since promoting bench coach Don Kelly to manager on May 8. They have also lost 17 of their last 21 games and not scored more than four runs in 24 straight games.
The Reds added two runs in the eighth innings and three in the ninth both the eighth and ninth innings to extend their lead to 7-1.
The Pirates trailed 2-1 in the seventh when Lynn Richardson got Spencer Horwitz to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Reds right fielder Will Benson went 1-for-4 with a double, ending his streak of four consecutive games with a home run.
Reds RHP Nick Martinez (2-4, 3.66 ERA) faces Pirates LHP Bailey Falter (2-3, 4.02) on Tuesday night.
