Pittsburgh Pirates Keep Applying Pressure In Win Over Reds

Final: Pittsburgh Pirates 3, Cincinnati Reds 1

How it happened:

• Gaby Sanchez hit his seventh home run of the season in the fifth inning. It was his fourth against a right hander this season as he hit it off Mike Leake.

• Leake hit a one out double down the left field line in the bottom of the fifth inning. The next batter Kris Negron hit a single and Leake narrowly beat Andrew McCutchen‘s throw from center field.

• Pirates starter Vance Worley threw 6.1 innings allowing a run and lowering his ERA to 2.85. In his past five starts, Worley has a 2.08 ERA. Worley was removed from the game after allowing a hit to catcher Tucker Barnhart.

• Jared Hughes replaced Worley and recorded the final two outs of the inning.

• Leake pitched seven innings and struck out eight batters in 106 pitches. He came in with an ERA close to 8.00 for September, but quieted the Pirates batters while limiting them to three hits.

• Pedro Villareal recorded the first two outs of the eighth inning, however Josh Harrison got a single and then despite playing a no-doubles defense, Travis Snider doubled past right fielder Jay Bruce. The Pirates added an extra run with a McCutchen double.

• Tony Watson came in the eighth inning and Mark Melancon picked up his 33rd save of the season with a perfect ninth inning. Jared Hughes picked up the win and is 7-5 on the season.

Up next:

The Pirates will face the Reds at 1:05 Saturday. Francisco Liriano [7-10 3.32 ERA] will take on Alfredo Simon [15-10 3.34 ERA].

After the Giants lost to the Padres, Pittsburgh secured home-field advantage in Wednesday’s wild-card game. The Bucs (88-72) remained one game back in the NL Central when the Cardinals topped the Diamondbacks late Friday.