Dietrich's Pinch Hit Homer Carries the Reds to a 5-3 Opening Day Win

Bad start - 2/3 of the outfield was laid up, and then Luis Castillo got three swinging K's out of his changeup in the first two frames. The Reds dented the board in the second off Jamo when the guy the Pirates didn't want, Jose Iglesias, banged a two-out double to plate Jose Peraza. JHK saved a second run on a diving stop and throw to end the inning. A Gonzalez knock, bunt and Fraze walk put the Bucs in business in the third; a pair of first-pitch pops ended that. Pittsburgh survived a J-Bell boot and a botched rundown to muddle through their half. Castillo struck out the side in the fourth with a walk; the free pass should have been a K and the whiff a walk, but Joe West...lol. Fraze had a face plant when his foot shot out from under him on some loose infield dirt while planting for a weak roller, costing two bases, but JT  escaped that, too. The fifth was quiet.

Corey D slid a shot just foul of the pole before fanning on another change. J-Bell then lined a knock; at 90+ pitches for Castillo, the Reds waved in Jared Hughes. With two gone in the sixth, Cervy singled. The infield played back, both runners had a big lead and Jung Ho dropped a soft lob into left center; Josh touched home and when the throw was lollipopped into second, Joey Cora spun the windmill and Fran's slide beat the rap to give the Bucs a 2-1 lead. Amore had himself an inning; he tossed out Eugenio Suarez, who worked a one-out walk, trying to steal on a rocket shot to allow Taillon a shutdown frame. Zach Duke worked a 1-2-3 seventh; Jamo hit a wall. A flat slider that ran in on Peraza was dumped into the first row in left center and a walk was followed by a Iglesias bouncer that just barely hopped fair over third for a two-bagger. That brought on Richard Rodriguez, and Derek Dietrich jumped a 2-1, center cut heater and lined on into the stands to make it 5-2 before Ric Rod settled in.

Cervy looked sharp in the Opener

Raisel Iglesias got the ball in the eighth. Dickerson didn't miss this time planting one into the right field seats, but the boys behind him went without a peep. Nick Burdi struck out the side, showing 97 MPH heat and a sharp slider, even if he did miss a spot or two. Lots of drama in the ninth; three Red pitchers walked three Buccos, and with the bases jammed and two outs, Corey D and David Hernandez fought a 12-pitch battle. But llas, Hernandez won, getting a weak roller to second to end the Pirates comeback efforts.

Jamo handled the top of the order fine, but the 6-7-8 guys went 5-for-8 with a walk, so we're not sure if he had a focus issue this afternoon or not. He never did seem to untrack his breaking stuff and that may have well caught up to him. Castillo was sharp, mixing heaters, sliders and changes equally. Oh, and a note to Pirates hitters: it's not always smart to sit on a fastball. The Bucs get to lick their wounds tomorrow and they're at 'em again on Saturday.

Notes:

• Starling was scratched about a 1/2 hour before the game with a migraine and replaced by JB Shuck.
• Corey D and JHK reached twice with a knock and a walk; JB Shuck drew two free passes.
• There were 44,049 in Cincinnati for today's game.
• Per John Dreker of Pirates Prospects, Pittsburgh has acquired INF/OF Jake Elmore from the Chicago White Sox for future considerations/cash and assigned him to Indy. Elmore was briefly with the Pirates over the 2014/15 off-season. He hasn't been on a MLB roster since 2016 and has never posted a positive WAR. The Bucs want to give Kevin Kramer outfield work and Nick Franklin may not be physically ready to go yet, so he's a warm body pick-up.
• Cutch's first at bat as a Phillie was a leadoff homer; Austin Meadows led off with a bomb for the Rays.
• RHP Jeanmar Gomez lives another day; he made the Rangers roster.