Andrew McCutchen's homer helps lead to 6-5 win over Reds

The Pirates jumped out to a 5-1 lead Saturday night against the Reds, and eventually won 6-5. After a scoreless top of the first for A.J. Burnett (who allowed three runs in six innings but struck out eight), Starling Marte did his usual thing, singling to lead off the bottom of the first. He TOOTBLAN'ed later in the inning, but Neil Walker took a free pass behind Marte and came around to score on a single by Russ Martin.

Then, after Brandon Phillips answered in the second with a solo homer, Travis Snider and Clint Barmes led off the bottom of the inning with singles, and Marte got hit by a pitch. Then Walker hit a two-run single up the middle, and Andrew McCutchen followed with a two-run single of his own.

The Reds fought back, scoring in the fourth and sixth and tying the game with a two-run blast by Phillips off Tony Watson (who ended up getting the win, naturally). But McCutchen homered to left to lead off the bottom of the inning, and Mark Melancon and Jason Grilli did what's become their usual thing after that.

In all, then: eight strikeouts for Burnett; multi-hit games for Marte, Walker, McCutchen and Garrett Jones; another decent performance for Snider (who went 1-for-2 with a walk); and more strong relief work by Melancon and Grilli. And the Pirates won, 6-5. Leaving Burnett aside, this is a blueprint we've already seen this season, and we'll probably see it again, at least generally speaking.