Break 'Em Up - Bucs Broom Reds 9-2

Pretty good start against Matt Harvey; Corey D doubled and trotted home after Gregory's homer. Ivan got off to a clean start. More fun was had in the second. S-Rod banged a two-bagger poorly played by Adam Duvall, Mad Max singled him in and then scored after Corey D crushed one (447') into the seats. Starling followed with another big fly to the bullpen, and it was 6-0. Cincy got a two-out single in their turn. The Bucs calmed down in the third with three up, three down. The Redlegs managed another two-out knock. The balls kept flying in the fourth when S-Rod went deep. Two outs later, Dickerson's rap ended Harvey's day as Jackson Stephens claimed the bump. Starling and El Coffee singled to plate another Bucco before the gate shut. Ivan walked Joey Votto, but an around-the-horn DP and bounce out turned it into a quiet frame. J-Bell's knock was the only Bucco noise in the fifth, while the Redlegs again got a rap with two away, causing no harm except to turn the order over.

A couple of Rene Gayo's finds are paying off (image Root Sports)

Ivan opened the sixth with a gapper that rolled to the wall; he stopped at first to celebrate (or maybe get directions; it was his first hit in 64 at bats and equalled his 2017 hit total). He was singled to second and tallied on Eli's two-out double. The Reds went down without a peep. Pittsburgh got a leadoff knock from J-Bell as their seventh inning action. The Reds drew a walk with one away and followed with a two-out double; a single chased them both home. That ended Ivan's outing as Michael Feliz took the ball. His first pitch was lasered to center, but Starling was there to tuck it away. Austin Brice was the eighth inning choice and spun a clean inning. Cincy opened with a double that ticked off Starling's mitt, but Feliz worked around it. Kyle Crockett worked a calm ninth. Tyler Glasnow came to turn out the lights, and 12 pitches later, it was time to RTJR.

Super showing in Queen City; great pitching and hitting, and how about Dickerson-Marte-Polanco? That's some outfield right now. Now let's hope the other end of Ohio welcomes the Bucs just as warmly.

Notes:

• Corey D had four hits; Starling, Gregory, J-Bell and S-Rod each had two knocks. Dickerson, Polanco, Marte and Rodriguez homered. Every Buc starter had at least a hit except for Colin Moran, and he lined out twice.
• Starling extended his hitting streak to 15 games.
• Corey Dickerson is the first Bucco to homer in four straight games since J-Hay in 2014.
• The last nine-game winning streak for the Pirates was in 2013.