Reds’ battle cry: At least we’re not last

Cincinnati’s 8-6 win puts Pittsburgh at the bottom of the NL Central.

CINCINNATI (AP) — At this point in another dismal season, the Cincinnati Reds are looking for any reason to feel a little better about themselves.

How about this: At least they’re not in last place.

Joey Votto hit a solo homer and a tiebreaking, bases-loaded single in the eighth inning Thursday, completing the Reds’ rally from a five-run deficit to an 8-6 victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates, who got to stay all by their lonesome at the bottom of the NL Central standings.

“It was real important for us,” manager Dusty Baker said. “They were gaining on us, trying to get out of last place.”

Instead, the Pirates blew a big early lead, gave up three runs in the eighth inning and lost for the 11th time in their last 13 games. A victory over the Reds would have completed a series sweep and left the two teams tied in the loss column.

“You couldn’t have scripted a better day,” manager John Russell lamented. “We’re going for a sweep and we’re spotted five runs.”

Craig Hansen (0-3) couldn’t hold a one-run lead in the eighth, when his wild pitch let in the tying run. Hansen has given up runs in six of his nine appearances with the Pirates, who got him from Boston as part of the three-team trade involving outfielder Jason Bay.

He came in throwing 96 mph fastballs, but most of them were off the mark. He walked two of the batters he faced and threw the wild pitch. He was trying to do too much in a situation like that,” Russell said.

Votto’s run-scoring single off T.J. Beam put the Reds ahead for the first time, and Edwin Encarnacion followed with a sacrifice fly.

Nick Masset (1-0), who came to the Reds in the trade that sent Ken Griffey Jr. to the White Sox, got the victory despite giving up a solo homer to Nate McLouth in the eighth. Francisco Cordero pitched out of a threat in the ninth for his 27th save in 33 chances.

“Generally, we’re just finishing off strong, trying to win as many as we can and hope it transfers to next year,” Votto said.

The Pirates swept the first series at Great American Ball Park in 2003. Since then, the two mirror-image franchises have shared misery and, quite often, the bottom spots in the NL Central.

At 59-80, the Pirates are two defeats away from clinching their 16th straight losing season, which would tie the major-league record held by the 1933-48 Phillies. The Reds are 62-78, leaving them within four defeats of their eighth straight losing season. It’s their longest such slump in a half-century.