PITTSBURGH – Eugenio Suárez and the Reds were down to their last strike with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. But Suárez, who was signed specifically to provide big power in big moments, did just that.
A three-run home run by Suárez lifted the Reds to a 9-7 victory over the Pirates on a rainy Saturday at PNC Park as they took the first two games of the three-game series.
Against Gregory Soto in the ninth, Edwin Arroyo hit a leadoff single to right field and Elly De La Cruz drew a walk. Sal Stewart grounded into a double play that threatened to derail the budding rally.
But JJ Bleday extended the game with a walk on a full count. In a 2-2 count, Suárez drove Soto's sinker to the opposite field and watched the ball carry into the right-field seats. It was his eighth homer of the season.
It was a game as messy as the conditions for the Reds, who couldn't hold leads of 2-0 in the third inning and 6-4 in the sixth.
It was a 6-6 game in the bottom of the eighth inning when Pirates pinch-hitter Esmerlyn Valdez slugged a go-ahead solo homer to right field against lefty reliever Caleb Ferguson.