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CINCINNATI (AP) -- A surprise in 2023 following a 100-loss season, the Cincinnati Reds and their beleaguered bullpen were dealt a staggering blow by the Pittsburgh Pirates.
The Pirates overcame a nine-run deficit for the first time since the franchise started play in 1882 and Alfonso Rivas tied a career-high with five RBIs in a 13-12 victory on Saturday night.
The Reds squandered a nine-run lead for the first time since a 10-9 defeat at Milwaukee on April 28, 2004. This was the biggest blown lead in the major leagues this season, topping Seattle's 7-0 advantage in a 14-9 loss at the Chicago Cubs on April 11.
Pittsburgh, which entered the National League as Allegheny City from 1882-90, had overcome eight-run deficits four times, the last when the Pirates trailed Houston 8-0 in the second inning of an 11-8 win on July 15, 1994.
"It was just, we're going to chip away," Pirates manager Derek Shelton said. "We wanted to get into their bullpen and use as many arms as possible. We just kept chipping, kept having good at-bats."
Held hitless for three innings, Pittsburgh started its comeback on Rivas' RBI single in the fourth off against Connor Phillips. Ji Hwan Bae and Joshua Palacios had run-scoring singles in a five-run sixth and Bryan Reynolds hit a three-run homer against Alex Young.
"It's funny because (Ke'Bryan) Hayes was standing right next to me and he goes, 'If he hits a homer here, this is going to get real,'" Shelton said. "He hit a homer, and it got real."