Instead of getting caught, Marlon Byrd's ninth-inning line drive to right field found the ground, allowing Todd Frazier to score the walk-off run and giving the Cincinnati Reds a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday and a sweep of their season-opening series.
With Frazier on third and Jay Bruce on first and one out, Byrd lined the 1-0 pitch from Pittsburgh's Rob Scahill into right field. Gregory Polanco appeared to have it as it traveled right to him in short right, but the ball sunk as it reached him and tipped off his glove. Frazier scored without a play.
Polanco was not far behind the infield dirt, and a clean catch would have held Frazier and given Scahill a chance to get out of the inning.
Frazier led off the ninth with a double to the left-field wall. He advanced to third on Devin Mesorasco's soft grounder. Scahill intentionally walked Bruce to set up a possible double play.
Scahill (L: 0-1, 0.00 ERA) took the loss as he entered in the ninth and got only one man out. The run he allowed was unearned because of the error. Pirates starter A.J. Burnett was successful as he pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on four hits. He walked one, struck out seven, and served up one home run.
Joey Votto hit that home run (1), a two-run shot off Burnett in the bottom of the sixth to tie the game at 2-2. The loss of Votto last season proved fatal to the Reds' season.
Pittsburgh scored single runs in the top of the fifth (Polanco RBI single) and sixth (Pedro Alvarez home run, 1) to take a 2-0 lead.
Cincinnati reliever Aroldis Chapman (W: 1-0, 0.00) pitched a perfect the top of the ninth to earn the win. He sandwiched a pop-out in between two strikeouts. Starter Anthony DeSclafani pitched six strong innings, allowing two runs on five hits. He walked one, struck out six, and served up Alvarez's home run.
With the series complete, the two teams move on Friday. Cincinnati stays home to open a weekend series with the St. Louis Cardinals while Pittsburgh travels to Miller Park to face the Milwaukee Brewers.