Pirates hurt Reds' wild-card chances with historic 9-run comeback win
The Pittsburgh Pirates pulled off the largest comeback win in franchise history by stunning the Cincinnati Reds with a 13-12 victory after being down by nine runs early in Saturday's game.
With the tying run on third and one out, Pirates pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski strikes Elly De La Cruz out. He then gets Jonathan India on a flyout to CF, ending the game.
— The Comeback (@thecomeback) September 24, 2023
The Reds led 9-0 at one point pic.twitter.com/wgk9a06viI
The Reds are now 2.5 games back of the Chicago Cubs for the NL's final wild-card spot following the devastating loss. Cincinnati has lost four straight and only has six contests remaining.
Pittsburgh trailed 9-0 after three innings before scoring a run in the fourth and then putting up a five spot in the sixth, capped by Bryan Reynolds' three-run home run off left-hander Alex Young:
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 24, 2023
"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,'" Pirates manager Derek Shelton said postgame, according to Jeff Wallner of The Associated Press. "He hit a homer, and it got real."
Alfonso Rivas then proceeded to tie things up in the seventh with a three-run double off right-hander Lucas Sims:
WE HAVE A TIE GAME. pic.twitter.com/fJ33k4CLAz
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 24, 2023
Jack Suwinski put the Pirates on top in the eighth with an RBI single off All-Star closer Alexis Díaz, who allowed four earned runs on five hits over 2/3 innings to take the loss:
Don't. Count. Out. The. Buccos. pic.twitter.com/M5xC5jmU4E
— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) September 24, 2023
The Pirates ended up scoring three more runs in the inning to take a 13-9 lead before the Reds scored two in the bottom of the frame and one in the ninth to finish one of the craziest games of the season.
The Pirates just did so much damage to Cincinnati pitching that I think it retroactively is increasing Rob Dibble's ERA pic.twitter.com/OVFRXKhgnf
— Mike Petriello (@mike_petriello) September 24, 2023