Aug 20, 2011 5 min read

PITTSBURGH (AP) – Joey Votto hit his 21st homer of the season and later scored the game-winning run in the top of the ninth inning to lead the Cincinnati Reds past the Pittsburgh Pirates 11-8 on Friday night.

Brandon Phillips went 3 for 5 with a home run and four RBIs for Cincinnati, which let a four-run lead slip away. Ryan Hanigan added a solo shot and drove in two insurance runs in the ninth as the Reds beat the Pirates for just the third time in 10 tries this season.

Travis Wood (6-5) picked up the win in relief, getting out of a bases-loaded jam in the eighth when center fielder Drew Stubbs threw out Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen, who attempted to score from third on a shallow fly by Ryan Ludwick. Francisco Cordero pitched a perfect ninth inning to collect his 25th save.

Pittsburgh closer Joel Hanrahan (0-2) took the loss, giving up three runs while getting just one out in the ninth after entering with the score tied.

Brandon Wood broke out of a lengthy slump, going 2 for 3 with three RBIs for Pittsburgh. McCutchen, Garrett Jones, Jose Tabata and Ronny Cedeno also had two hits apiece for the Pirates but Pittsburgh ran itself out of a chance to take the lead in the eighth and Cincinnati made them pay for it in the ninth.

Hanrahan, in the midst of a dominant year, issued a rare leadoff walk to Votto to start the inning. Votto moved to third on a one-out single by Dave Sappelt. Stubbs followed with a chopper to second. Pittsburgh second baseman Neil Walker tried to get Votto at the plate but the ball deflected off catcher Ryan Doumit’s glove. Votto slapped the plate for emphasis and Sappelt and Stubbs both moved up a base as the ball rolled to the backstop.

Hanigan followed with a sharp single up the middle to provide the final margin and chase Hanrahan, who stalked to the dugout after the worst outing of his All-Star season.

Cincinnati’s late surge spoiled a furious rally by the Pirates, who trailed 6-2 after Phillips drilled a three-run homer to left in the fifth.

Pittsburgh started chopping away after manager Clint Hurdle was ejected for the third time this season for arguing with home plate umpire Brian Knight moments after Jones was called out on strikes.

Hurdle, who was well out of eyesight in the dugout when Knight tossed him, appeared to be a little stunned by the early exit. He walked onto the field and engaged in an animated discussion with Knight before crew chief Jerry Layne came in to calm things down.

Hurdle’s passionate plea seemed to spark his club as the Pirates slowly got back in it as Cincinnati’s bullpen faltered following starter Homer Bailey.

Bailey gave up three runs and six hits in five innings, walking three and striking out six. He needed 96 pitches to get 15 outs but the Reds appeared to have things well in hand with a 6-3 lead.

Pittsburgh, however, kept chipping away but got too greedy in the eighth.

The Pirates eventually tied the game at 8-all on a single by McCutchen off Cincinnati’s Nick Masset. Jones, not exactly the fleetest runner, was out by a good 10 feet trying to score from second on the play. Pittsburgh kept the pressure on, however, loading the bases with one out.

Wood came on and induced Ludwick to hit a fly ball to shallow center that Stubbs ran down and his perfect throw to Hanigan at the plate easily beat the speedy McCutchen to keep the score tied and give Cincinnati the boost it needed to put the Pirates away.

Pittsburgh’s rally allowed Kevin Correia to avoid picking up his first-ever loss against the Reds as a starter. Still, he was far from sharp, giving up six runs and eight hits – including three home runs – in six innings, walking one and striking out one to continue his Jekyll-and-Hyde season.

Correia is among the best starters in the baseball on the road. His 10 victories away from home lead the majors.

Things don’t go quite so well when he starts the day waking up in his own bed. His ERA rose to 7.75 in his 12 games on the hill at the quirky ballpark along the Allegheny River.

NOTES: The game started after a 41-minute rain delay. … Wood snapped an 0-for-18 slump with a single to lead off the sixth. … The series continues on Saturday. Charlie Morton (9-6, 3.43 ERA) gets the start for Pittsburgh. Morton is 3-0 with a 0.39 ERA against the Reds this year. Dontrelle Willis (0-3, 4.08) starts for the Reds. Willis left his last start against San Diego with a sore left forearm but was OK’d to pitch after an MRI revealed no significant injury.