Pirates end five-game losing skid

Associated Press

PITTSBURGH

Rookie Neil Walker had three hits and drove in a career-high four runs and the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates snapped a five-game losing streak, holding on for a 7-6 victory over the first-place Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.

Walker had a three-run double as part of a six-run second inning for Pittsburgh, which also got two hits and two runs from Jose Tabata. The Pirates had a scare when outfielder Andrew McCutchen left the game after he was hit by a pitch in the back of the neck.

Brandon Phillips went 3 for 5 with two RBIs and Chris Heisey had two RBI singles for the Reds, who came in having won three straight and five of six.

Playing without two regulars in first baseman Joey Votto (NL leader in batting and home runs) and shortstop Orlando Cabrera, the Reds allowed more runs in a game than they had allowed in any of their past 10 contests.

Pitching on nine days’ rest as the Reds attempt to limit the rookies innings, Mike Leake (7-3) had allowed six runs in a game only once in 19 career starts before the Pittsburgh second inning.

He was charged with seven runs — six earned — and seven hits with a walk and two strikeouts in five innings for his second consecutive defeat.

Cincinnati nearly erased a 7-1 deficit with two runs in the sixth and another in the seventh off Paul Maholm. Phillips hit a two-run double off Evan Meek in the eighth, but new Pirates closer Joel Hanrahan earned his first save since May 24, 2009, when he was with Washington, by striking out two after allowing Scott Rolen’s leadoff single in the ninth.