Reds rock JT Brubaker in 7-run 1st inning, roll over Pirates

The Great American Ball Park has become a misnomer for the Pittsburgh Pirates, who have found Cincinnati’s bandbox stadium to be more the site of blowouts.

The Reds rocked the Pirates early for the second consecutive game, scoring seven runs in the first inning off JT Brubaker on their way to a 10-0 win Friday night at home.

On Thursday night, the Reds scored six runs off Wil Crowe in the second inning of a 7-4 win over the Pirates. The Pirates are 1-7 against the Reds this season.

It marked the fourth time this season the Reds (59-51) have scored double-digit runs against the Pirates (41-69). Three of those have come in Cincinnati, where the Reds have hit 13 home runs and outscored the Pirates, 47-12, in five games.

Brubaker (4-11) allowed nine runs (eight earned) on seven hits and four walks with five strikeouts on 95 pitches in five innings. Pirates manager Derek Shelton blamed Brubaker getting sped up for losing his delivery and command of his pitches in the seven-run first inning.

“It was just, ‘What can I do to execute and get out of this inning as quick as possible?’ ” Brubaker said. “That’s what sped me up. Nothing from (Thursday’s) game leaked into my head when I was out on the mound.”

Brubaker had a 1.93 ERA in three career starts at Cincinnati, so he was as surprised as anyone when the Reds hit him hard early.

“From past outings, I’ve pitched really well against these guys, so tip your cap to them for changing up their gameplan,” Brubaker said. “They were sitting in specific zones probably on certain pitches, laying off the slider early, almost kind of keyholing and putting good swings on it.”

After Jonathan India lined out to center to start the first, the Reds had seven consecutive batters reach base. Jesse Winker doubled, then Nick Castellanos grounded to third but Ke’Bryan Hayes lost his footing and his throw pulled John Nogowski off first base. Joey Votto drew a full-count walk to load the bases.

In his first at-bat since May 18 after returning from the 60-day injured list from a heel contusion, Mike Moustakas hit a two-run double to right. It was the first of three doubles on the night for Moustakas, who went 3 for 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.

Kyle Farmer followed with a two-run single to left for a 4-0 lead. After Tyler Naquin walked, Tucker Barnhart blasted a three-run homer 406 feet to right field to give the Reds a 7-0 lead.

Winker led off the second by hitting a 402-foot solo shot to left off Brubaker for his 22nd home run. Moustakas doubled again, then scored on Farmer’s single to left to give the Reds a 9-0 lead.

“We really walked into Castellanos and Moustakas coming back in the same series,” Shelton said. “They’re built to swing the bats and they’re built for this ballpark, and I think they’re showing that.”

Kyle Keller gave up a one-out homer to India in the sixth as the Reds extended their lead to 10-0.

Reds lefty Wade Miley (9-4) tossed seven scoreless innings, allowing six hits and two walks and striking out five. The Pirates didn’t get an extra-base hit until the eighth inning, when Hoy Park doubled to left-center off Reds reliever Heath Hembree.

“It’s challenging when you put yourself in that big of a hole,” Shelton said. “Miley threw the ball well. He’s one of the last guys in baseball you want to give that kind of a lead to, because he’s very smart, and he commands his pitches and he goes right after you. He threw balls on the edges that were balls to swing at, and we just didn’t get anything going.”