Bryan Reynolds continued his torrid offensive performance with a tape-measure, two-run homer as the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-5 on Tuesday.
Reynolds finished 2-for-5, extending the longest active hitting streak in the majors to 22 games. It’s the longest streak for a Pirates since Jason Kendall had a 23-game streak in 2003.
Nick Gonzales added three hits in support of Pittsburgh starter Mitch Keller (9-4), who was charged with four runs — three earned — on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked three and struck out six as the Pirates ended a two-game skid.
Jonathan India doubled twice, walked twice and scored three times for the Reds, who lost for the third time in four games.
Pittsburgh handed Reds starter Hunter Greene his first loss since April 22. Greene (5-3) was tagged for six runs on seven hits in four innings. He fanned five and walked two.
After Andrew McCutchen walked to begin the game, Reynolds belted a Greene full-count slider 426 feet to the seats in right for his 13th homer for a 2-0 Pittsburgh lead.
Reynolds ran his streak of driving in at least one run to six games for the Pirates, who have taken three of the first five meetings with the Reds over the past nine days.
Nick Gonzales increased the lead to 3-0 with an RBI single later in the first.
Keller received more run support than last Wednesday against Cincinnati, when he got a no-decision in a 1-0 Pittsburgh victory. This time, the Pirates scored three in the first and three more in the third.
In the second inning, Greene became sick on the mound, vomiting for the second time in as many starts.
Greene allowed five consecutive singles to open the third inning as the Pirates opened a 6-0 lead. Edward Olivares had a two-run hit, and Yasmani Grandal contributed a sacrifice fly.
After Cincinnati’s Buck Farmer gave up a two-run homer to Jared Triolo in the fifth for an 8-0 lead, 26-year-old Reds right-hander Yosver Zulueta made his major league debut in the sixth. He walked his first two batters before striking out the next two and allowing an RBI single to Rowdy Tellez.
Zulueta recovered to pitch a scoreless seventh and eighth.
Keller got the first two outs into the sixth before Jonathan India doubled. Pirates center fielder Michael A. Taylor then dropped a deep fly from Elly De La Cruz on the warning track for a three-base, run-scoring error.
Carmen Mlodzinski recorded the final out of the frame and wound up setting down all seven batters he faced.
The Reds’ Elly De La Cruz and Spencer Steer had two hits apiece.
–Field Level Media