Pirates 3, Reds 2
CINCINNATI -- Left-hander Jeff Locke allowed just one run and one hit through six innings, and Garrett Jones homered, lifting the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 3-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the finale of a three-game series Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.
Jason Grilli pitched the ninth for his 30th save.
Locke (9-2) hadn't pitched since July 8. He was scratched from his last scheduled start due to lower back stiffness which made him unavailable to pitch in the All-Star Game. But he had no pitch-count limitations on Sunday.
Shin-Soo Choo's infield single leading off the game was the only hit Locke allowed. He walked four and struck out over 87 pitches.
Reds starter Homer Bailey allowed three earned runs on seven hits, with one walk and a career-high 12 strikeouts over 121 pitches.
Bailey, who has allowed 27 hits over three starts since no-hitting the Giants on July 2, gave up Jones' 10th home run in the second inning to put the Pirates ahead, 1-0.
It was the third home run against the Reds this season for Jones.
Locke's command escaped him with one out in the fifth when he issued back-to-back walks. Bailey bunted the runners into scoring position, and Zack Cozart scored from third on a wild pitch by Locke that bounced past Michael McKenry tying the score 1-1.
The Pirates regained their lead in the seventh when McKenry doubled and scored on Jordy Mercer's single putting them ahead 2-1.
Pinch-hitter Jose Tabata followed with a single, scoring Mercer to make it 3-1.
Cincinnati loaded the bases with nobody out in the eighth against Mark Melancon. Joey Votto grounded into a 3-6-1 double play, but Derrick Robinson scored to get the Reds within one run.
Melancon then got Brandon Phillips to ground to short ending the inning.
NOTES: Choo's infield single in the first inning extended his hitting streak to a career-high 15 games. .. Reds C Corky Miller, 37, is the oldest player to start behind the plate for Cincinnati since Bob Scheffing in 1951. ... Reds LF Ryan Ludwick, who's been on the disabled list since suffering a shoulder injury on Opening Day, will begin a minor-league rehab assignment with Single-A Dayton on Wednesday. The rehab stint could last up to 20 days. ... Pittsburgh 2B Neil Walker made what the Pirates hope is his final rehab start for Triple-A Indianapolis on Sunday before being reinstated from the disabled list on Monday. Walker was expected to play nine innings Sunday then be reevaluated. ... Reds RHP Greg Reynolds is expected to be called up from Triple-A Louisville and pitch the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader in San Francisco. Reynolds, the second overall pick by the Rockies in the 2006 draft, is 10-2 with a 2.54 ERA in 18 starts at Triple-A. "I had to transition to being more of a pitcher," Reynolds said. "I had to execute better. I'm looking forward to proving I belong here."
