CINCINNATI (AP) – Brandon Phillips hit a pair of three-run homers and drove in a career-high seven runs on Thursday night, powering the Reds to a 15-5 victory that kept the Pittsburgh Pirates winless in Cincinnati this season.
The Reds opened the season with a three-game sweep of the Pirates at Great American Ball Park. They improved to 4-0 on Thursday night by taking advantage of struggling A.J. Burnett (8-5), sending the Pirates to their most lopsided loss of the season.
Pittsburgh hadn’t allowed so many runs since a 15-5 loss to Arizona on Aug. 17, 2013.
Marlon Byrd also hit a three-run homer, and Jay Bruce drove in three runs with a sacrifice fly and a double as the Reds improved to 8-2 overall against the Pirates this season.
Left-hander David Holmberg (1-0) was called up from Triple-A and allowed two runs and five hits in six innings.
The Reds shipped starter Mike Leake to the San Francisco Giants for a pair of prospects, bolstering the defending World Series champions for another playoff run.
San Francisco needed one more solid starter, and got a young pitcher who has been at his best in July. The 27-year-old Leake has won his last four starts, allowing only two earned runs in 30 innings overall.
He threw eight innings of four-hit ball in a 4-0 win in St. Louis on Tuesday.
The Reds got infielder Adam Duvall and right-hander Keury Mella for Leake, who can become a free agent after the season.
The deal came six days after Cincinnati dealt ace Johnny Cueto to Kansas City for three minor league pitchers.