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 Wednesday night's game produced yet another chapter in the
National League Central rivalry.
Pittsburgh homered four times, including a game-tying solo blast in
the eighth inning by Josh Harrison, in a come-from-behind, 5-4
victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park.
Following the game, the focus in both clubhouses was less about the
five home runs hit by both teams and more on the six players who
were hit, four of whom wore Pirates uniforms.
"Pitchers have to pitch inside to be effective," Harrison said.
"Sometimes it can get out of hand. We play these guys a lot. When
you play a team 20 times a season, you're going to have more
hit-by-pitches against the team you only play six times."
David Freese, Jung Ho Kang, and Andrew McCutchen also homered for
Pittsburgh (18-15), which earned a split in what became a two-game
series when the scheduled Tuesday night game was rained out.
Jay Bruce hit a two-run homer for Cincinnati (14-20), which took its
eighth blown save in 11 chances this season.
 Cincinnati pitchers plunked four Pirates, and Pittsburgh pitchers
hit two Reds.
"We had more hit batters after the warnings than we did before,"
Pirates manager Clint Hurdle said. "You've got to look at them. If
you get hit with a split-fingered fastball that backs up, I don't
see any intent with that. For a guy to get low-bridged 3-0, that's a
little interesting. One gets away from our guy. There's a lot of
passionate players out there."
You could see it coming.
Reds starter Alfredo Simon was tied for the National League lead
with four hit batsman coming in, and Pirates left fielder Starling
Marte ranked second in the NL in being hit. Add to that the fact
that the Pirates have hit more batters -- mostly Reds -- the past
four seasons than any team in the majors, and drama was sure to
ensue.
"A lot of guys were hit," Hurdle said. "It was interesting game in
many ways."
There was controversy unrelated to hit batters in the sixth when
Marte appeared to steal second with one out. However, following a
two-minute, 48-second video review, it was determined Marte's hand
came off the base while second baseman Brandon Phillips was applying
the tag.
Hurdle came out to argue and was ejected, as was Marte moments
later.
"I thought I was safe, then I noticed Phillips pushing me off the
bag like he always does joking around," Marte said, via an
interpreter. "That's something I wish the umpire would notice,"
In an indirect way, Marte's ejection led to the tying run.
Harrison, who entered the game at second base, replacing Sean
Rodriguez, who moved to left when Marte was ejected, hit a solo
homer off Tony Cingrani in the eighth inning to tie the score 4-4.
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"I got a good pitch to hit and didn't miss it," Harrison said.
In the ninth, Kang reached on an infield single and advanced to
third on a bunt. He scored when Jordy Mercer dumped a single into
right field, putting the Pirates ahead to stay.
"I've never seen anything like this," Reds manager Bryan Price said.
"It's like we play the same game every day -- win by a run or lose
by a run."
After Simon hit Kang in the fourth, Pirates starter Juan Nicasio
plunked Phillips to begin the bottom half of the inning. Plate
umpire Jeff Kellogg issued a warning to both benches as Phillips
slowly walked to first.
Due to the prior warnings, Reds right-hander Ross Ohlendorf (3-4)
and Price were ejected in the ninth inning when Freese was hit by a
pitch, the sixth hit batter of the night.
"I thought Jeff Kellogg did a great job," Price said. "After the
warnings, two guys were hit by split-fingers, and they didn't get
ejected. Adam Duvall was hit by a fastball, but the game situation
certainly didn't call for that. When Ohlendorf hit Freese, he said,
'At some point, I have to do something.'"
Mark Melancon pitched the ninth for his 10th save. Tony Watson (1-0)
earned the win after throwing a scoreless eighth.
"At the end of the day, it's baseball," Harrison said, summing up a
wild evening. "We've got to go out there and play the game."
NOTES The Reds and their opponents combined to hit 36 homers during
the nine-game homestand, including five Wednesday. It is the
third-highest homer total for a homestand of 10 games or fewer in
Cincinnati. ... The last time four Pirates were hit by pitches was
Sept. 7, 2008, at San Francisco. ... Reds 1B Joey Votto, who played
in all 33 of the club's games this season, was given a rest
Wednesday. He walked as a ninth-inning pinch hitter. ... Reds LHP
John Lamb, who left Sunday's start in the fifth inning with a
sprained thumb, played catch Wednesday and is on track to make his
next start Monday in Cleveland.
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