CINCINNATI _ For six innings in the first game of Monday's doubleheader, Cincinnati Reds right-hander Trevor Bauer carved up the Pirates' offense.
After facing a little bit of stress in the first two frames, he struck out 11 hitters through six innings, including one stretch during which he got five straight Pirates batters out on strikes.
With that, when Bauer trotted out for the seventh and final inning, his team holding onto a one-run lead, it seemed to spell trouble for the Pirates.
Sure enough, though, on the third pitch of the seventh, Bauer's 96th of the game, Pirates first baseman Colin Moran caught just enough of a fastball to send it a few feet beyond the right-field wall to tie the game.
Even that wasn't enough, though. Left-hander Sam Howard tried to take the game to extras for the Pirates in the seventh. He recorded the first two outs but gave up a single to Reds shortstop Jose Garcia. Then he left a slider over the middle, and Reds outfielder Tyler Stephenson launched it deep to left center, walking the game off with a two-run blast and a 3-1 Cincinnati win.
For his third consecutive appearance, right-hander Cody Ponce had his number called in a doubleheader for the Pirates. And for the third consecutive time, the right-handed pitcher performed well, this time throwing four innings and allowing just one hit.
Unfortunately for he and the Pirates, that one hit was a problem. Reds first baseman Joey Votto poked a fourth-inning fastball the other way, barely clearing the wall in left center to give the Reds a 1-0 lead.
In this game, that seemed like it would be enough. Bauer was dominant, striking out 12 Pirates in total and shutting them out through six. He eventually relented to Moran in the seventh and allowed two more singles to designated hitter Josh Bell and second baseman Kevin Newman before giving way to closer Raisel Iglesias.
Iglesias slammed the door on the rally, striking out Gregory Polanco and John Ryan Murphy to end the frame. Howard, however, couldn't do the same for the Pirates in the bottom of the seventh.
