Ivan Nova slows march to payday, Reds beat Pirates, 7-4

Ivan Nova temporarily quieted all the concerns of When's Ivan Nova gonna stop pitchin' so good; we got plenty'a good pitchin', allowing nine hits and five runs in three innings as the Reds beat the Pirates, 7-4, on Sunday afternoon.

The Pirates took a 2-0 lead in the second when Pedro Florimon tripled to center on a ball Jose Peraza couldn't hold onto, scoring Jung-Ho Kang and Francisco Cervelli.

Helping prove the age-old adage You Need More than Pedro Florimon to Win a Ballgame, the Reds, wearing green, came back and tied it at 2 in the bottom of the second. Scott Schebler singled and Ivan De Jesus reached on an error by Josh Bell at first, then Tucker Barnhart doubled into the right-center field gap to score both.

Cincinnati scored three more off Nova in the third. Joey Votto led off with a double and scored on Brandon Phillips' double, this one of the book-rule variety. Schebler singled Phillips home. Adam Frazier's misplay in left allowed Schebler to take third on De Jesus' single, and Schebler scored on Barnhart's sac fly. Pitcher Dan Straily even got his first hit of the year, smacking a grounder through a hole on the right, but Nova struck out Peraza to end the inning and Nova's day on the mound.

Nova hadn't allowed as many as five runs since his last start for the Yankees on July 29. He did concede nine hits (but one run, and got the almighty win) in a 5 1-3 inning start for the Pirates in Los Angeles.

Tyler Glasnow pitched three scoreless innings of relief, his fastball hitting around 91-92 MPH according to my television. He struck out four and walked two, allowing two hits. Drew Hutchison pitched the seventh and eighth, allowing a run in each, including a Votto solo homer.

Sean Rodriguez continued his late charge towards Barry Bonds' record with his 17th homer of the season, a solo shot just out of Peraza's reach in center as Straily tired in the sixth.

Florimon wasn't going to go down quietly, though. No, sir. No, ma'am. P-Flo knocked a one-out single in the ninth and went clear around the bases to score on a John Jaso double.

The Pirates' winning streak ended at four games, so that was fun for a little.