Pirates Edge Reds In Extra Innings As NL Central Race Heats Up
Pirates Edge Reds In Extra Innings As NL Central Race Heats Up...
The Pittsburgh Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 in 11 innings Wednesday night at PNC Park, tightening the early-season NL Central standings. The game is trending nationally as both teams entered the series with identical 3-2 records, marking their first high-stakes matchup of 2026.
Rookie shortstop Marco Luciano delivered the walk-off single for Pittsburgh, scoring Bryan Reynolds from second base in the bottom of the 11th. The Pirates bullpen threw 5.2 scoreless innings after starter Paul Skenes exited with a no-decision after 5.1 innings of work.
Cincinnati's Elly De La Cruz continued his hot start, going 3-for-5 with two stolen bases, including a ninth-inning theft of home that forced extra innings. The electrifying play sparked over 85,000 related tweets within an hour, according to Twitter analytics.
The game gained additional attention due to a controversial replay review in the seventh inning that overturned a would-be Reds go-ahead run. MLB's replay center in New York ruled that Spencer Steer failed to touch home plate on what initially appeared to be a sacrifice fly.
Both teams now sit at 3-3, trailing the division-leading Milwaukee Brewers by 1.5 games. The Pirates and Reds meet again Thursday afternoon in the rubber match of their three-game series, with Pittsburgh's Jared Jones scheduled to face Cincinnati's Hunter Greene in a marquee pitching matchup.
Wednesday's game drew particular interest from baseball analysts due to both teams' improved rosters following aggressive offseason moves. The Pirates added veteran starter Marcus Stroman while the Reds acquired All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase, making this division rivalry more competitive than in recent years.
The extra-inning affair lasted 3 hours and 48 minutes, featuring 13 pitchers and multiple lead changes. MLB Network will replay the game Thursday morning at 9 AM ET as part of their "MLB Encore" series, capitalizing on fan demand.
Ticket sales for the remaining Pirates-Reds matchups in April have spiked 27% since Wednesday night according to SeatGeek data, reflecting growing anticipation for what could become one of baseball's most compelling divisional races this season.
