Times couldn‚Äôt be any worse for the Pittsburgh Pirates. The team is on the verge of possibly losing their first round pick Pedro Alvarez and to make matters worse the Pirates have lost 11 out of 13. The Pirates got out to a 5 run lead this afternoon but the Reds scored three runs in the eighth inning off of reliever Craig Hansen. The Reds comeback was led by Joey Votto who hit a solo homer and a tiebreaking, bases-loaded single in the eighth inning Thursday, completing the Reds’ rally from a five-run deficit to an 8-6 victory.

Inside Pitch
Craig Hansen continues to struggle in a Pirate uniform. Hansen has given up runs in 6 of his 9 appearances. Hansen came to Pittsburgh in a blockbuster three team trade between the LA Dodgers, Pittsburgh Pirates and Boston Red Sox.
At 59-80, the Pirates are two defeats away from clinching their 16th straight losing season, which would tie the major-league record held by the 1933-48 Phillies.
Pittsburgh heads to San Francisco for a three game span
Nate McLouth hit his 24th homer of the year.
Tom Gorzelanny is 0-2 with a 6.61 ERA in his last three starts.