NATIONAL LEAGUE Reds' Larkin bids farewell to fans

He's still unsure about were he'll be playing next season.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Barry Larkin said good-bye to everyone, just in case.
The Reds captain hugged teammates on the field, bid good luck to Joe Nuxhall in the broadcast booth and even kicked back with fans in the stands for a half-inning.
Then, he left his hometown, unsure if he was coming back.
Larkin played what might have been his final game in a Cincinnati uniform on Sunday, a 2-0 victory by the Pittsburgh Pirates that was much more than just the end of a season.
It became an impromptu send-off for the 40-year-old shortstop, who would like to play one more season in Cincinnati but hasn't been offered a contract.
"I don't know if this is the end, but I wanted to say thank you," Larkin said. "This was my way of doing it."
Larkin, who grew up in Cincinnati and has played all 19 seasons with the Reds, came out of the game after three innings so he could start his round of farewells.
He mixed in a pitch to come back.
"Thank you all, and I hope to see you next year," he said over the public address system, getting a loud cheer from the 30,854 fans.
So far, the Reds have given no indication they want him back. The club decided to not talk about a contract extension until after the season, an ominous sign.
"I can only let my baseball ability talk for me," said Larkin, who hit .289 in 111 games. "It's like I'm running for political office. It's a shame. It's like I have to politick to get asked back here. I don't know why it is, but it is what it is."
The crowd was subdued for most of the game, which featured two runs and two emotional moments.
Bucs' Perez gets win
Oliver Perez (12-10) gave up five hits and struck out nine in six innings, finishing as the Pirates' top winner this season with a 2.98 ERA. Tony Alvarez's fourth-inning sacrifice fly off Brandon Claussen (2-7) and Jose Castillo's solo homer made the difference.
Jose Mesa pitched the last inning for his 10th consecutive save, leaving him 43-for-48 overall.
The Pirates (72-89) completed their 12th straight losing season, matching Milwaukee for the longest current streak of futility. The Reds (76-86) have four consecutive losing seasons, their longest slump since the 1950s.
Shortstop shines
Jack Wilson had another record-setting day at shortstop for the Pirates.
He doubled in his first at-bat for his 201st hit, tying Honus Wagner's club record for a shortstop set in 1908. Wilson also dived to get Larkin's grounder in the third and flipped the ball with his glove to start a double play.
It was the 129th double play started by Wilson, a record for a Pirates shortstop.
Reds outfielder Adam Dunn struck out once, leaving him with a major league record 195 whiffs in his season of extremes. Dunn also hit 46 homers, drove in 102 runs and walked 107 times.