CINCINNATI, Ohio — At first, he gave chase. Andrew McCutchen hightailed it to the warning track in straightaway center field Thursday at Great American Ball Park, then slowed and watched Marlon Byrd’s three-run, first-inning smash land in the greenery beyond the wall.
This night got out of hand quickly for the Pirates.
In an emphatic 15-5 victory, the Cincinnati Reds collected 19 hits, pushed across eight runs, seven earned, against A.J. Burnett, and Brandon Phillips drilled two three-run homers off reliever Deolis Guerra to dash the Pirates’ three-game winning streak.
Outfielder Jaff Decker took the mound in the eighth, the first Pirates position player to pitch since Travis Snider on June 18, 2014, also against the Reds.