PITTSBURGH -- Amir Garrett was far from a phenom in spring training. In fact, the Reds rookie got hit rather hard.
Now that the season has started for real, the Cincinnati left-hander has been nearly untouchable.
Garrett threw another gem, taking a shutout into the seventh inning and leading Cincinnati over the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-2 Wednesday night for a three-game sweep.
"From the competitive standpoint, I'm not surprised because I've been hearing for a long time what a great competitor Amir is," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "But to pitch as well as he has on the road against two tough division rivals has certainly exceeded my expectations."
Garrett (2-0), the former St. John's basketball player, blanked the Pirates until David Freese hit a two-run homer.
Garrett gave up five hits, walked none and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings. In his major league debut last week, the 24-year-old pitched six scoreless innings to win at St. Louis.
This has come after he allowed 15 runs in 21 1/3 innings during the exhibition season.
The key for Garrett having more success in games that count has been throwing his changeup for strikes. It is a pitch most young pitchers have a difficult time mastering.
"I've been working on it in the bullpen and I really have confidence in throwing it right now," Garrett said. "I just try to keep it in the zone because it tends to dive when it gets to the plate."
Cincinnati has won seven of eight since losing to the Phillies on opening day. At 7-2, the Reds are off to their best start since 1990, when they won the World Series.
The Reds finished last in the NL Central in each of the previous two seasons.
"I think we all felt we had a chance to be better coming out of spring training, but sometimes you have to go out and play and assess where you are," Price said. "I like what we've done so far. There is a much stronger sense of community and guys are seizing opportunities."
Jose Peraza, Eugenio Suarez and Tucker Barnhart each had three of the 15 hits for the Reds, who didn't homer for the first time this season.
Peraza had a two-run double to cap a four-run fourth against Ivan Nova (1-1) that broke a scoreless tie. Zack Cozart and Barnhart doubled to open the inning and Billy Hamilton's single made it 2-0.
The Pirates were outscored 21-5 in the series and were hitless in 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Suarez drove in three runs, including two with a double in a four-run seventh inning that stretched the lead to 8-0.
Nova pitched six innings and gave up three earned runs and eight hits.
"It's early in the season," Nova said. "We just have to find a way for our offense to get going and our pitching to get better."
DAVIS GOES ON DL
Reds rookie RHP Rookie Davis was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised right forearm, a day after he was hit by a pitch. Right-handed reliever Barrett Astin was recalled from Triple-A Louisville.
The Reds have not decided who will take Davis' spot in the starting rotation Sunday against Milwaukee. Among the candidates mentioned by Price were a pair of relievers, left-hander Cody Reed and right-hander Robert Stephenson, along with Louisville righty Sal Romano.
SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON
The Pirates were originally scheduled to be off Thursday but will travel to Boston to make up a game with the Red Sox that was rained out last Thursday. Manager Clint Hurdle is looking on the bright side, though.
"We get to go to Fenway Park," Hurdle said. "Who can complain about a job that takes you to Fenway Park?"
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: Cozart (sore left wrist) returned to the lineup after missing the two previous games.
UP NEXT
Reds: Open a four-game home series against the Brewers on Thursday night with RHP Bronson Arroyo (0-1, 13.50 ERA) facing RHP Jimmy Nelson (0-0, 1.50). Arroyo gave up six runs in four innings in a loss at St. Louis last Saturday in the 40-year-old's first major league game since 2014.
Pirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (1-0, 3.60) opposes Red Sox LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1, 7.20).
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More AP baseball: apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
Cincinnati Reds
Now that the season has started for real, the Cincinnati left-hander has been nearly untouchable.
Garrett threw another gem, taking a shutout into the seventh inning and leading Cincinnati over the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-2 Wednesday night for a three-game sweep.
"From the competitive standpoint, I'm not surprised because I've been hearing for a long time what a great competitor Amir is," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "But to pitch as well as he has on the road against two tough division rivals has certainly exceeded my expectations."
Garrett (2-0), the former St. John's basketball player, blanked the Pirates until David Freese hit a two-run homer.
Garrett gave up five hits, walked none and struck out five in 6 2/3 innings. In his major league debut last week, the 24-year-old pitched six scoreless innings to win at St. Louis.
This has come after he allowed 15 runs in 21 1/3 innings during the exhibition season.
The key for Garrett having more success in games that count has been throwing his changeup for strikes. It is a pitch most young pitchers have a difficult time mastering.
"I've been working on it in the bullpen and I really have confidence in throwing it right now," Garrett said. "I just try to keep it in the zone because it tends to dive when it gets to the plate."
Cincinnati has won seven of eight since losing to the Phillies on opening day. At 7-2, the Reds are off to their best start since 1990, when they won the World Series.
The Reds finished last in the NL Central in each of the previous two seasons.
"I think we all felt we had a chance to be better coming out of spring training, but sometimes you have to go out and play and assess where you are," Price said. "I like what we've done so far. There is a much stronger sense of community and guys are seizing opportunities."
Jose Peraza, Eugenio Suarez and Tucker Barnhart each had three of the 15 hits for the Reds, who didn't homer for the first time this season.
Peraza had a two-run double to cap a four-run fourth against Ivan Nova (1-1) that broke a scoreless tie. Zack Cozart and Barnhart doubled to open the inning and Billy Hamilton's single made it 2-0.
The Pirates were outscored 21-5 in the series and were hitless in 23 at-bats with runners in scoring position.
Suarez drove in three runs, including two with a double in a four-run seventh inning that stretched the lead to 8-0.
Nova pitched six innings and gave up three earned runs and eight hits.
"It's early in the season," Nova said. "We just have to find a way for our offense to get going and our pitching to get better."
DAVIS GOES ON DL
Reds rookie RHP Rookie Davis was placed on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised right forearm, a day after he was hit by a pitch. Right-handed reliever Barrett Astin was recalled from Triple-A Louisville.
The Reds have not decided who will take Davis' spot in the starting rotation Sunday against Milwaukee. Among the candidates mentioned by Price were a pair of relievers, left-hander Cody Reed and right-hander Robert Stephenson, along with Louisville righty Sal Romano.
SHIPPING UP TO BOSTON
The Pirates were originally scheduled to be off Thursday but will travel to Boston to make up a game with the Red Sox that was rained out last Thursday. Manager Clint Hurdle is looking on the bright side, though.
"We get to go to Fenway Park," Hurdle said. "Who can complain about a job that takes you to Fenway Park?"
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: Cozart (sore left wrist) returned to the lineup after missing the two previous games.
UP NEXT
Reds: Open a four-game home series against the Brewers on Thursday night with RHP Bronson Arroyo (0-1, 13.50 ERA) facing RHP Jimmy Nelson (0-0, 1.50). Arroyo gave up six runs in four innings in a loss at St. Louis last Saturday in the 40-year-old's first major league game since 2014.
Pirates: RHP Chad Kuhl (1-0, 3.60) opposes Red Sox LHP Eduardo Rodriguez (0-1, 7.20).
---
More AP baseball: apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball
| View: Play-By-Play | Pitch-By-Pitch | Inning: All | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| Cincinnati - Top of 1st | SCORE | |
|---|---|---|
| Ivan Nova pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Hamilton struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Peraza popped out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Votto flied out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 1st | SCORE | |
| Amir Garrett pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| Mercer lined out to shortstop. | 0 | 0 |
| Marte struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| McCutchen grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cincinnati - Top of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Ivan Nova pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Duvall grounded out to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Suárez singled to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Schebler popped out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Cozart grounded into fielder's choice to shortstop, Suárez out at second. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 2nd | SCORE | |
| Amir Garrett pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| Freese singled to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Cervelli flied out to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Bell grounded into double play, third to second to first, Freese out at second. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cincinnati - Top of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Ivan Nova pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Barnhart singled to center. | 0 | 0 |
| Garrett bunted into double play, catcher to shortstop to second, Barnhart out at second. | 0 | 0 |
| Hamilton grounded out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 3rd | SCORE | |
| Amir Garrett pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| Harrison grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| Frazier struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| Nova flied out to right. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cincinnati - Top of 4th | SCORE | |
| Ivan Nova pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Peraza grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Votto grounded out to first. | 0 | 0 |
| Duvall singled to right. | 0 | 0 |
| Suárez singled to center, Duvall to second. | 0 | 0 |
| Schebler flied out to left. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 4th | SCORE | |
| Amir Garrett pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| Mercer grounded out to pitcher. | 0 | 0 |
| Marte grounded out to third. | 0 | 0 |
| McCutchen doubled to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Freese struck out swinging. | 0 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cincinnati - Top of 5th | SCORE | |
| Ivan Nova pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Cozart doubled to left. | 0 | 0 |
| Barnhart doubled to deep right center, Cozart scored. | 1 | 0 |
| Garrett grounded into fielder's choice to catcher, Barnhart to third on error by third baseman Freese. | 1 | 0 |
| Hamilton singled to right, Barnhart scored, Garrett to second. | 2 | 0 |
| Peraza doubled to left, Garrett and Hamilton scored. | 4 | 0 |
| Votto grounded out to second, Peraza to third. | 4 | 0 |
| Duvall lined out to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Suárez grounded out to shortstop. | 4 | 0 |
| 4 Runs, 4 Hits, 1 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 5th | SCORE | |
| Amir Garrett pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| Cervelli grounded out to shortstop. | 4 | 0 |
| Bell grounded out to pitcher. | 4 | 0 |
| Harrison singled to shallow left. | 4 | 0 |
| Frazier grounded out to second. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cincinnati - Top of 6th | SCORE | |
| Ivan Nova pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Schebler grounded out to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Cozart fouled out to catcher. | 4 | 0 |
| Barnhart lined out to right. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 6th | SCORE | |
| Amir Garrett pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| Gosselin hit for Nova. | 4 | 0 |
| Gosselin fouled out to first. | 4 | 0 |
| Mercer lined out to left. | 4 | 0 |
| Marte struck out swinging. | 4 | 0 |
| 0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cincinnati - Top of 7th | SCORE | |
| Antonio Bastardo pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Bastardo relieved Nova. | 4 | 0 |
| Garrett struck out swinging. | 4 | 0 |
| Hamilton lined out to center. | 4 | 0 |
| Peraza reached on infield single to third. | 4 | 0 |
| Votto walked, Peraza to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Peraza stole third. | 4 | 0 |
| Duvall walked, Votto to second. | 4 | 0 |
| Suárez doubled to deep center, Peraza, Votto and Duvall scored. | 7 | 0 |
| Rivero relieved Bastardo. | 7 | 0 |
| Schebler doubled to deep center, Suárez scored. | 8 | 0 |
| Cozart struck out swinging. | 8 | 0 |
| 4 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 7th | SCORE | |
| Amir Garrett pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| McCutchen reached on infield single to shortstop. | 8 | 0 |
| Freese homered to right (388 feet), McCutchen scored. | 8 | 2 |
| Cervelli struck out swinging. | 8 | 2 |
| Bell grounded out to shortstop. | 8 | 2 |
| Harrison hit by pitch. | 8 | 2 |
| Wood relieved Garrett. | 8 | 2 |
| Frazier struck out looking. | 8 | 2 |
| 2 Runs, 2 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cincinnati - Top of 8th | SCORE | |
| Daniel Hudson pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Hudson relieved Rivero. | 8 | 2 |
| Barnhart singled to left. | 8 | 2 |
| Alcántara hit for Wood. | 8 | 2 |
| Alcántara struck out swinging. | 8 | 2 |
| Hamilton popped out to shortstop. | 8 | 2 |
| Peraza singled to shallow center, Barnhart to second. | 8 | 2 |
| Votto singled to left, Barnhart scored, Peraza to third. | 9 | 2 |
| Duvall struck out swinging. | 9 | 2 |
| 1 Runs, 3 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 8th | SCORE | |
| Robert Stephenson pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| Stephenson relieved Wood. | 9 | 2 |
| Alcántara in left field. | 9 | 2 |
| Jaso hit for Hudson. | 9 | 2 |
| Jaso popped out to shortstop. | 9 | 2 |
| Mercer doubled to right center. | 9 | 2 |
| Marte struck out swinging. | 9 | 2 |
| McCutchen grounded out to shortstop. | 9 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Cincinnati - Top of 9th | SCORE | |
| Tony Watson pitching for Pittsburgh | CIN | PIT |
| Watson relieved Hudson. | 9 | 2 |
| Kivlehan hit for Suárez. | 9 | 2 |
| Kivlehan singled to left. | 9 | 2 |
| Schebler popped out to second. | 9 | 2 |
| Cozart walked, Kivlehan to second. | 9 | 2 |
| Barnhart grounded into double play, shortstop to second to first, Cozart out at second. | 9 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
| Pittsburgh - Bottom of 9th | SCORE | |
| Robert Stephenson pitching for Cincinnati | CIN | PIT |
| Kivlehan at third base. | 9 | 2 |
| Hanson hit for Freese. | 9 | 2 |
| Hanson struck out swinging. | 9 | 2 |
| Cervelli doubled to shallow right. | 9 | 2 |
| Bell struck out swinging. | 9 | 2 |
| Harrison walked. | 9 | 2 |
| Frazier struck out swinging. | 9 | 2 |
| 0 Runs, 1 Hits, 0 Errors | ||
Cincinnati Reds
| Hitters | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | #P | AVG | OBP | SLG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hamilton CF | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 21 | .306 | .316 | .389 |
| Peraza 2B | 5 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 19 | .297 | .316 | .351 |
| Votto 1B | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 22 | .171 | .237 | .400 |
| Duvall LF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 | .353 | .421 | .676 |
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 | |
| Suárez 3B | 4 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 19 | .429 | .529 | .750 |
b-Kivlehan PH-3B
| 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | .200 | .200 | .200 |
| Schebler RF | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 7 | .179 | .303 | .464 |
| Cozart SS | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 23 | .417 | .464 | .667 |
| Barnhart C | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 13 | .333 | .385 | .417 |
| Garrett P | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
Wood P
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
a-Alcántara PH-LF
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | .000 | .000 | .000 |
| Totals | 41 | 9 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 159 | |||
| a-struck out swinging for B Wood in the 8th b-singled to left for E Suarez in the 9th | ||||||||||
| BATTING 2B: Cozart (2, Nova); Barnhart (2, Nova); Peraza (2, Nova); Suárez (3, Bastardo); Schebler (2, Rivero) RBI: Barnhart (1), Hamilton (3), Peraza 2 (3), Suárez 3 (8), Schebler (6), Votto (4) 2-out RBI: Suárez 3, Schebler, Votto GIDP: Garrett, Barnhart Reds RISP: 6-14 (Barnhart 1-2, Garrett 0-1, Duvall 0-2, Schebler 1-2, Hamilton 1-1, Suárez 1-2, Cozart 0-1, Peraza 1-1, Votto 1-2) Team LOB: 8 | ||||||||||
| BASERUNNING SB: Peraza (4, 3rd base off Bastardo/Cervelli) | ||||||||||
| FIELDING DP: 1 (Suárez-Peraza-Votto). | ||||||||||
Game Information
| Stadium | PNC Park, Pittsburgh, PA |
| Attendance | 12,327 (32.1% full) - % is based on regular season capacity |
| Game Time | 2:54 |
| Weather | 64 degrees, clear |
| Wind | 9 mph |
| Umpires | Home Plate - Tripp Gibson, First Base - Brian Gorman, Second Base - D.J. Reyburn, Third Base - Mike DiMuro |
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