The Cincinnati Reds are on a roll. The Pittsburgh Pirates, though, found themselves at the other end of that roll on Saturday night, dropping the second game of the team's three-game weekend series by a final score of 5-4. Cincinnati is currently winners of 21 of its last 24 games.
The Pirates did manage to keep pace with the Reds for much of the contest, working their way out to a 3-2 lead after four innings. They grabbed three runs in the second, third and fourth innings, highlighted by a solo home run from catcher Michael McKenry. A late eighth-inning rally would push Cincinnati ahead.
After Aroldis Chapman hit Andrew McCutchen on Friday, Mike Leake hit Josh Harrison in the second inning Saturday. Both benches were warned, and Clint Hurdle came out to argue and was ejected.
Pirates starter James McDonald would toss 98 pitches over six innings, surrendering seven hits and four runs (three earned).
The series finale is scheduled for Sunday at 1:10 p.m. EST at PNC Park. The Bucs now trail the first-place Reds by 5.5 games in the N.L. Central.
For more on the Pirates, check out Bucs Dugout. For more on the Reds, there's Red Reporter.