Season on the line and the Cincinnati Reds couldn't have drawn up a better situation to take the lead against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the seventh inning Tuesday:
Bases loaded. No outs. Nick Castellanos, Joey Votto and Kyle Farmer were due at the plate against a rookie reliever with a 5.95 ERA in a one-run game.
Castellanos hit a pop-up to first base in foul territory. Votto hit a fly ball to center field that was too shallow to score Delino DeShields from third base. Farmer was called out on strikes, frozen by a curveball.
Pirates right-hander Nick Mears pumped his fist twice and yelled to himself as he walked off the mound.