Cincinnati is 7-1 against the Pirates this season and 36-62 versus everyone else. Homer Bailey (3-5) allowed one run in six innings, striking out three and walking two to snap a three-start losing streak.
Taillon gave up eight runs on 11 hits in 3 2/3 innings and is 1-3 with a 12.18 ERA since the All-Star break.
Pittsburgh stayed relatively quiet at the trade deadline Monday, sending reliever Tony Watson to the Los Angeles Dodgers for prospects and getting right-hander Joaquin Benoit from Philadelphia.
General manager Neal Huntington said he wanted to give his core group a chance to make a run, and the Pirates pointed to an eight-game homestand against Cincinnati, San Diego and Detroit — all of whom entered Tuesday at least 10 games under .500 — as a chance to make inroads in an NL Central race that is starting to get away from them.
Cincinnati pounded out 14 hits against Taillon and three relievers. Hamilton led off the game with a triple to right-center and scored on Joey Votto’s fielder’s choice. The Pirates tied it in the bottom of the inning on an RBI single by Josh Bell, but Hamilton was just getting started.
Jose Peraza doubled with one out in the second and scored on Tucker Barnhart’s single. Bailey laid down a sacrifice bunt, but Taillon tried to go to second to start a double play. The throw was late and both runners were safe. Hamilton followed by sending Taillon’s pitch a few rows deep for his second home run this season against Pittsburgh to make it 5-1.
That was more than enough for Bailey. The four hits and six baserunners he allowed were both season lows.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: Placed OF Scott Schebler on the 10-day disabled list with a left shoulder strain. Called up OF Phillip Ervin from Triple-A Louisville.
UP NEXT
Reds: Robert Stephenson (0-4, 7.86 ERA) makes his third start since joining the rotation last month. Stephenson is 0-2 with a 7.45 ERA as a starter.
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