A run-scoring single by Johnny Bench climaxed a two-run rally in the bottom of the ninth inning that lifted the Reds to a 9-8 triumph over the Pirates. The Reds trailed, 8-7, when Dave Collins began the bottom of the ninth with a walk and raced to third when third baseman Phil Garner misplayed a sacrifice bunt by Ken Griffey.

Kent Tekulve replaced Grant Jackson on the hill for the Bucs and yielded an RBI single to Dave Concepcion. George Foster, who hit a two-run homer and RBI single earlier, was intentionally walked to load the sacks. Bench then singled to center to plate the decisive tally. [The Sporting News]



Cincinnati Reds 9, Pittsburgh Pirates 8
Game Played on Wednesday, May       6, 1981 (Night game) at Riverfront Stadium
Pirates      0  0  4    2  1  0    1  0  0  -   8 11  2
Reds         1  0  3    0  0  0    1  2  2  -   9 14  2


Pirates              AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG      Reds                 AB   R   H RBI    BB  SO    AVG
Moreno cf             5   1   1   1     0   1   .237      Collins rf            4   2   1   0     1   0   .372
Foli ss               5   1   2   0     0   1   .246      Griffey cf            4   3   2   1     0   1   .263
Parker rf             5   2   2   3     0   1   .250      Concepcion ss         5   1   3   2     0   0   .325
  Lacy lf             0   0   0   0     0   0   .333      Foster lf             4   1   3   3     1   0   .291
Madlock 3b            3   0   0   0     2   0   .321      Bench 1b              5   0   2   1     0   1   .306
Easler lf,rf          5   2   3   1     0   0   .333      Knight 3b             4   1   0   0     0   0   .235
Thompson 1b           3   1   0   1     1   1   .167      Oester 2b             4   1   2   1     0   1   .250
Garner 2b             4   0   1   2     0   1   .444      O'Berry c             2   0   1   0     1   0   .160
Nicosia c             4   1   2   0     0   0   .160        Nolan ph,c          0   0   0   1     0   0   .269
Candelaria p          2   0   0   0     0   1   .200      Pastore p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .250
  Romo p              1   0   0   0     0   1   .000        Price p             1   0   0   0     0   0   .000
  Jackson p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Mejias ph           1   0   0   0     0   1   .400
  Tekulve p           0   0   0   0     0   0   .000        Bair p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000
                                                            Spilman ph          0   0   0   0     0   0   .125
                                                            Vail ph             1   0   0   0     0   0   .143
                                                            Hume p              0   0   0   0     0   0   .000

Totals               37   8  11   8     3   7             Totals               36   9  14   9     3   4

Time of Game: 2:48   Attendance: 14,551
Left on Base: Pirates 7, Reds 8
DP: Pirates 2, Reds 1
Errors: Garner 2, Knight, Price
Doubles: Garner (1), Nicosia (2), Griffey (5)
Triples: Collins (3), Oester (2)
Home Runs: Parker (3), Easler (1), Foster (5)
Sacrifice Hits: Candelaria (2), Griffey (1)
Sacrifice Flies: Thompson (1), Nolan (1)
GIDP: Bench (1)


Pirates                IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Candelaria              6    10   4   4   1   3   1  27   4.15
Romo                    1.2   2   3   1   0   1   0   8   6.57
Jackson L(1-2)          0.1   0   2   1   1   0   0   3   2.00
Tekulve                 0     2   0   0   1   0   0   3   1.42
Totals                  8    14   9   6   3   4   1  41

Reds                   IP     H   R  ER  BB  SO  HR BFP    ERA
Pastore                 3     5   6   2   1   2   1  16   3.00
Price                   3     3   1   1   1   3   0  13   4.73
Bair                    2     2   1   1   0   1   1   8   8.38
Hume W(2-2)             1     1   0   0   1   1   0   5   2.95
Totals                  9    11   8   4   3   7   2  42

Umpires: HP - John McSherry, 1B - Fred Brocklander, 2B - Bill Williams, 3B - Paul Pryor


PIRATES 1ST: Moreno struck out; Foli grounded out (shortstop to
first); Parker grounded out (shortstop to first); 0 R, 0 H, 0 E,
0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Reds 0.

REDS 1ST: Collins grounded out (pitcher to first); Griffey
singled to left; Concepcion singled to left [Griffey to third];
Foster singled to right [Griffey scored, Concepcion to third];
Bench grounded into a double play (third to second to first)
[Foster out at second]; 1 R, 3 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 0, Reds 1.

PIRATES 2ND: Madlock grounded out (shortstop to first); Easler
flied out to center; Thompson struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.
Pirates 0, Reds 1.

REDS 2ND: Knight flied out to left; Oester grounded out (first
unassisted); O'Berry grounded out (pitcher to first); 0 R, 0 H,
0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 0, Reds 1.

PIRATES 3RD: Garner lined to second; Nicosia reached on an error
by Knight; Candelaria out on a sacrifice bunt (pitcher to
second) [Nicosia to second]; Moreno singled to left [Nicosia
scored (unearned)]; Foli singled to left [Moreno to second];
Parker homered (unearned) [Moreno scored (unearned), Foli scored
(unearned)]; Madlock flied out to center; 4 R (0 ER), 3 H, 1 E,
0 LOB.  Pirates 4, Reds 1.

REDS 3RD: Pastore grounded out (shortstop to first); Collins
flied out to center; Griffey doubled to left; Concepcion singled
to right [Griffey scored]; Foster homered [Concepcion scored];
Bench singled to right; Knight grounded out (pitcher to first);
3 R, 4 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 4, Reds 4.

PIRATES 4TH: Easler singled to right; Thompson walked [Easler to
second]; Garner doubled to center [Easler scored, Thompson
scored]; PRICE REPLACED PASTORE (PITCHING); Nicosia grounded out
(shortstop to first); Candelaria struck out; Moreno grounded out
(first unassisted); 2 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 6, Reds 4.

REDS 4TH: Oester singled to right; O'Berry singled to shortstop
[Oester to second]; On a bunt Price forced Oester (third to
shortstop) [O'Berry to second]; Collins lined into a double play
(second to second to first) [Price out at first]; 0 R, 2 H, 0 E,
1 LOB.  Pirates 6, Reds 4.

PIRATES 5TH: Foli singled to shortstop; Parker singled to center
[Foli to second]; Madlock walked [Foli to third, Parker to
second]; Easler forced Foli (first to catcher) [Parker to third,
Madlock to second]; Thompson sacrifice flied into a double play
(left to left to shortstop to first) [Parker scored, Easler out
at second]; 1 R, 2 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 7, Reds 4.

REDS 5TH: Griffey struck out; Concepcion popped to second;
Foster singled to right; Bench forced Foster (third to second);
0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 7, Reds 4.

PIRATES 6TH: Garner struck out; Nicosia singled to center; On a
bunt Candelaria reached on an error by Price [Nicosia to
second]; Moreno flied out to center; Foli struck out; 0 R, 1 H,
1 E, 2 LOB.  Pirates 7, Reds 4.

REDS 6TH: Knight flied out to right; Oester struck out; O'Berry
walked; MEJIAS BATTED FOR PRICE; Mejias struck out; 0 R, 0 H, 0
E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 7, Reds 4.

PIRATES 7TH: BAIR REPLACED MEJIAS (PITCHING); Parker flied out
to right; Madlock grounded out (third to first); Easler homered;
Thompson popped to second; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 8,
Reds 4.

REDS 7TH: ROMO REPLACED CANDELARIA (PITCHING); Collins tripled
to center; Griffey grounded out (shortstop to first) [Collins
scored]; Concepcion lined to shortstop; Foster flied out to
center; 1 R, 1 H, 0 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates 8, Reds 5.

PIRATES 8TH: Garner grounded out (pitcher to first); Nicosia
doubled to center; Romo struck out; Moreno flied out to left; 0
R, 1 H, 0 E, 1 LOB.  Pirates 8, Reds 5.

REDS 8TH: Bench struck out; Knight reached on an error by
Garner; Oester tripled to center [Knight scored (unearned)];
NOLAN BATTED FOR O'BERRY; Nolan hit a sacrifice fly to right
[Oester scored (unearned)]; SPILMAN BATTED FOR BAIR; JACKSON
REPLACED ROMO (PITCHING); VAIL BATTED FOR SPILMAN; Vail grounded
out (shortstop to first); 2 R (0 ER), 1 H, 1 E, 0 LOB.  Pirates
8, Reds 7.

PIRATES 9TH: NOLAN STAYED IN GAME (PLAYING C ); HUME REPLACED
VAIL (PITCHING); Foli flied out to left; Parker struck out;
Madlock walked; Easler singled to center [Madlock to third];
Thompson grounded out (first to pitcher); 0 R, 1 H, 0 E, 2 LOB.
Pirates 8, Reds 7.

REDS 9TH: LACY REPLACED PARKER (PLAYING LF); EASLER CHANGED
POSITIONS (PLAYING RF); Collins walked; Griffey reached on an
error by Garner on a sacrifice bunt [Collins to third]; TEKULVE
REPLACED JACKSON (PITCHING); Concepcion singled to left [Collins
scored, Griffey to third]; Foster was walked intentionally
[Concepcion to second]; Bench singled to center [Griffey scored
(unearned), Concepcion to third, Foster to second]; 2 R (1 ER),
2 H, 1 E, 3 LOB.  Pirates 8, Reds 9.