PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Coming in the Pirates had lost three straight. Those games were at least competitive or within a grand slam. Tuesday night, the Reds pounded the Pirates 14-1.
While not every ball was hit hard off Trevor Cahill, a couple of homers were as the righty lasted only four innings, allowing 9 hits and 7 earned runs. Cahill had only pitched in two Spring Training games heading into his first start.
"I think a guy that had an abbreviated Spring Training," said manager Derek Shelton. "I think we saw it with his breaking balls today. It just wasn't as he normally is and had trouble finishing it."
A reclamation project who made the Pirates roster after being designated for assignment after last season, Clay Holmes walked a pair, gave up three hits and five runs in a third of an inning.
Reds got 5 more hits off Duane Underwood and a couple of runs.
Cincinnati's Tyler Naquin put the pucks to sleep with a career-high 7 RBI, that included a pair of home runs. Rookie Jonathan India also with a career-high 4 RBI.
Phillip Bright spot
Pirates managed five hits and the lone run was on a solo homer from Phillip Evans, who started for Gregory Polanco in right field. The other highlight from Evans was pitching a scoreless inning, the only Bucco player to do that against Cincinnati on Tuesday. Evans was pitch efficient, throwing 5 pitches and 4 were strikes.
"I wanted to get us in and out of there," Evans said. "It was a long game, attack the hitters, get them to fly out. Get them to get their swings bigger than normal and I did what I wanted to do."
"We wanted him to be able to talk trash to Musgrove," Shelton said. "I'm sure he's going to send a text to Joe and say it's not that hard."
Up Next
Chad Kuhl makes his second start of the season facing righty Luis Castillo at 12:35 on 93.7 The Fan. Castillo gave up 8 earned runs on 10 hits Opening Day against the Cardinals.
"He rebounded after that first inning pretty well," Shelton said of Kuhl's first start. "I think we saw the stuff starting to sharpen up that second and third inning. Just looking for him to build off those innings."
