PNC PARK Benson bounced, wastes early lead as Pirates fall 9-7

The Reds battled back against an ineffective Kris Benson.
By TOM WILLIAMS
VINDICATOR SPORTS STAFF
PITTSBURGH -- Just when the Pirates thought they had found a cure for their ailing run production, their once-and-future ace imploded under the weight of prosperity.
Staked to a 4-0 first-inning lead, Pirates starter Kris Benson collapsed, surrendering a run in the second inning and five more in the third in Saturday's 9-7 loss to the Reds at PNC Park.
How shabby was the pitching in the Pirates' fourth consecutive loss? The Reds and Bucs combined for 31 hits against 12 pitchers (six apiece).
Pirates left fielder Raul Mondesi also dropped a shallow fly ball in the ninth inning that led to the Reds' eighth and ninth runs.
Overworked
Benson needed 20 pitches just to get out of the first inning, 11 of them being used to strike out lead-off batter D'Angelo Jiminez.
The Reds scored once in the second inning, taking advantage of Adam Dunn being hit by Benson's second pitch. Fourteen tosses later, pinch-hitter Wily Pena hit into a double play to end the threat.
Benson was the epitome of ineffectiveness in the third inning, throwing 36 pitches as the Reds batted 11 and stranded three runners.
Jiminez's lead-off homer cut the Pirates' lead to 4-2. After Barry Larkin singled, Ken Griffey Jr. and Sean Casey doubled to tie the game.
Two walks and two outs later, relief pitcher Todd Van Poppel beat out an infield hit to break the tie.
Benson walked Jiminez for another run before retiring Larkin on a flyout.
Larkin's two-out double off Benson in the fifth inning scored Jiminez with Cincinnati's seventh run. In all, Benson threw 112 pitches in five innings; only 62 were strikes.
The Pirates edged back into the contest with two runs in the fifth inning on a single, two walks and two sacrifice flies.
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Thanks to a Chuck Tanner figurine promotion, the crowd of 24,732 included 6,748 in walkup sales. They had some moments to cheer.
In the fourth inning, an excellent relay throw by second baseman Jose Castillo kept the Pirates in the game. With Griffey at first, Casey doubled to the wall in center field. Tike Redman hit Castillo, who fired to catcher Jason Kendall to nail a sliding Griffey.
In the ninth inning, Rob Mackowiak led off with a homer to cut the Reds' lead to two runs.
And way back in the first inning, the Bucs torched Cincinnati starter Jimmy Haynes with seven first-inning singles and four runs.
The damage could have been more extensive except Randall Simon pulled a leg muscle rounding third base and was easily tossed out at home plate.
One-out singles by Jack Wilson, Jason Kendall and Raul Mondesi put Pittsburgh ahead, 1-0.
After a fielder's choice, Craig Wilson, Simon and Castillo produced two-out singles.
With the bases loaded, Benson snapped an 0-for-44 hitting streak with a base hit, scoring Wilson and injuring Simon.
It was Benson's first base hit since Aug. 20, 2002.
CINCINNATIPITTSBURGH
abrhbiabrhbi
DJmnz 2b4233TRdmn cf5010
Larkin ss6131JWilsn ss5110
Grf Jr. cf6121Kendall c5120
Casey 1b5131Mndesi lf5131
Dunn lf2200Mckwk 3b4321
Kearns rf5110CWilsn rf4121
LaRue c4110Simon 1b1010
JCastro 3b4010JDavis rf2001
JHayns p0000Castillo 2b5021
WPena ph1000Benson p2021
Poppel p2011ANunez ph0001
RWgnr p0000Grabow p0000
Rmano ph1000STorres p0000
Reith p0000Hill ph0000
TJones p0000Jhnston p0000
Freel ph0000Boyd p0000
Vlentin pr0000Bhrngr p0000
Graves p0000
Totals409157Totals387167
Cincinnati015010002--9
Pittsburgh400020001--7
E--Mondesi (2), JDavis (1). DP--Cincinnati 2, Pittsburgh 2. LOB--Cincinnati 12, Pittsburgh 10. 2B--Larkin (3), Griffey Jr. (4), Casey 2 (8), Kearns (2), Kendall (4). HR--DJimenez (2), Mackowiak (2). SB--DJimenez (1). S--LaRue. SF--JDavis, ANunez.
IPHRERBBSO
Cincinnati
JHaynes174400
Poppel W,1-03 1-362222
RWagner1 2-310001
Reith110001
TJones100000
Graves S,9111111
Pittsburgh
Benson L,2-15127643
Grabow1-310001
STorres1 2-310000
Johnston100001
Boyd012110
Boehringer100001
Boyd pitched to 5 batters in the 9th. HBP--by Boyd (Freel), by Reith (Hill), by Benson (Dunn). Umpires--Home, Jeff Kellogg; First, Doug Eddings; Second, Dan Iassogna; Third, Charlie Reliford. T--3:14. A--24,732.