PITTSBURGH –The Pittsburgh Pirates’ offense continued to apply pressure on the Cincinnati Reds but couldn’t win the marathon in a 14-8 loss at PNC Park on Sunday afternoon.

How We Got There

Pirates starter Mike Burrows held the Reds (62-57) scoreless through the first three innings but allowed four runs in the third. Elly De La Cruz singled home a run to break the scoreless tie and Miguel Andujar lined a three-run home run to left.

The Pirates (51-68) came back with three runs in the bottom of the fourth before tying the game 4-all in the fifth. Isiah Kiner-Falefa knocked home a pair with a double to left and scored on Spencer Horwitz’s single. The following inning, Jack Suwinski plated Bryan Reynolds from third with a groundout to second.

Cincinnati regained the lead by scoring three runs off Yohan Ramírez (1-1) in the sixth. Noelvi Marte hit a go-ahead run-scoring double and Spencer Steer followed with a two-run two-bagger. After the Pirates pushed across a run on pinch-hitter Andrew McCutchen’s bases-loaded walk in the seventh, Steer added some insurance for the Reds with a two-run homer off Dauri Moreta in the top of the eighth. 

Oneil Cruz drove in a run with a base hit to left field in the eighth to bring Pittsburgh within three. The Pirates were then gifted a pair of runs on Matt McLain’s throwing error with the bases loaded, which would have otherwise ended the inning. 

But Marte padded the Reds’ lead with a three-run home run to center off Cam Sanders for a four-run cushion. Cincinnati tacked on two more in their five-run ninth inning. 

Key Moment

Following the two-run error in the eighth, Nick Gonzales represented the tying run at second base, but Jared Triolo struck out to end the inning. 

Player of the Game

Noelvi Marte’s clutch home run sealed the deal. He finished 3 for 5 with four RBI and three runs scored.

Stat to Know

After he allowed three runs in 17 innings across three starts from July 19-30, Burrows has been charged with 10 earned runs in 9.2 innings over his last two outings.

Notable Performances

Mike Burrows: 5.0 innings, three hits, four runs, one walk, six strikeouts, 74 pitches/47 strikes
Isiah Kiner-Falefa: 3 for 5, one double, two RBI, one run
Nick Gonzales: 2 for 4, one double, one run, one walk
Jack Suwinski: 2 for 4, one RBI, one run, one walk
Spencer Horwitz: 2 for 5, one double, one RBI, one run
Bryan Reynolds: 2 for 4, one run, one walk

Noteworthy

Jack Suwinski recorded his second multi-hit game of the season. The other came on April 14 against the Washington Nationals (2 for 4).
Dauri Moreta allowed a run for the first time this season. It snapped a stretch of 10-straight scoreless innings from the right-hander dating back to the 2023 season. Moreta, who missed all of 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery, hadn’t been scored upon with the Pirates since Aug. 22, 2023.

Up Next

The Pirates begin a six-game road trip with LHP Andrew Heaney (5-9, 4.77 ERA) on the mound in Milwaukee on Monday. RHP Freddy Peralta (13-5, 3.03 ERA) starts for the Brewers. First pitch: 7:40 p.m. ET.