Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Todd Frazier scored the winning run on an error by right fielder Gregory Polanco as the Cincinnati Reds walked off with a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates Thursday at Great American Ball Park.
With runners on the corners and one out, Marlon Byrd hit a liner to right that bounced off the side of the glove of a charging Polanco waste high, allowing Frazier, who led the inning off with a double and moved to third on a Devin Mesoraco ground out to score the winning run.
The Reds swept the series from Pittsburgh, winning the final two games on the same calendar day. Joey Votto's walk-off extra-inning hit in the second game of this series gave the Reds a 5-4, 11-inning win in a game that ended after midnight.
Less than 12 hours later, these two teams took the field again and the result was the same. This time Votto came through with a game-tying two-run homer in the sixth and it was Byrd and Frazier with the late-inning heroics. Frazier's three-run eighth-inning homer in the season-opener on Monday gave the Reds a 5-2 win.
Frazier's winning run Thursday made a winner of reliever Aroldis Chapman (1-0), who tossed a perfect inning of relief.
"It's very excited to get a sweep these first three games," said Frazier. "We just have to keep on rolling, riding that wave. I know it's early, but early counts too."
Reds starting pitcher Anthony DeSclafani allowed two runs on five hits in six innings, striking out six and walking one. This was his Reds debut. He came to the team in an offseason trade that sent Matt Latos to the Marlins.
"I was glad I gave my team a chance to win," said DeSclafani. "Everything felt good. It's great that we came back and got the win."
Rob Scahill (0-1) was on the mound for the final inning for the Pirates and was hit with the loss.
Pirates starter A.J. Burnett surrendered two runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked one in his return to Pittsburgh after a year away from the club with the Phillies.
The two starting pitchers were cruising in the early going as the bats were suffering a hang-over from Wednesday's affair that went into early Thursday morning.
However, after a one hour, 14 minute rain delay, the bats came alive a little bit.
The Pirates got on the board after the delay thanks to Polanco's RBI single. Pittsburgh added another run in the sixth on Pedro Alvarez's homer.
The Reds tied the game in the home half of the inning when Votto hit a two-run homer.
The Pirates are 0-3 for the first time since beginning the 2003 season 0-6.
Game Notes
The Pirates travel to Milwaukee to begin a three-game series Friday night ... The Reds wrap up a six-game homestand with a three-game weekend set against the St. Louis Cardinals.
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