PITTSBURGH -- The last time the Reds had more wins than losses was at the end of last season. They'll get a chance to top .500 on Thursday.
Alfredo Simon became the first pitcher in the National League to earn a 10th win this season but it was the continued resurgence of the offense that has propelled the Reds back to even on the season.
An 11-4 win over Pittsburgh at PNC Park Wednesday has the Reds at 35-35, their third time at .500 this season. They've won three in a row, six of their last seven and 12 of their last 18 games in an attempt to stay within shouting distance of St. Louis and Milwaukee in the NL Central. The offense in those 18 games has produced 86 runs, an average of 4.8 per game, including at least four runs in all 12 of the wins.
Manager Bryan Price has said he likes the possibility of what his lineup could produce if healthy and together. That healthy lineup is proving Price's point.
"Obviously we have to get to .500 to be able to exceed it but I think we've really just focused more on playing good, consistent baseball," said Price. "Being good situational hitters. Working and maintaining the outstanding defense and pitchers commanding the strike zone. It really has been a very similar message. Above all of that, it's playing the game hard. Even though we've had some regressions in the things that we've done, very rarely has it been a lack of hustle, a lack of effort by our players. Very rarely, and I'm really proud of that."
The Reds sent 12 batters to the plate in the third inning and scored seven runs to blow open the game. Billy Hamilton lined out to left fielder Starling Marte to lead off the third. The next nine Reds reached base safely via six singles, one double, one walk and one hit-by-pitch. All nine starters, including Simon, had at least one hit as the Reds totaled 14 hits one night after getting 13 hits in a 6-5 win. Even reliever J.J. Hoover, who pitched the final 2 2/3 innings, got a walk in his first major league plate appearance and came around to score his first career run in the ninth inning.
Five different players had at least one RBI, led by Skip Schumaker who knocked in a run in each of his first three plate appearances with a sacrifice fly and two singles.
The formula has been pretty simple for the Reds during this latest stretch; score at least four runs and count the game in the W column. They've been held to two runs or less in all six of the losses they've suffered in the last 18 games.
"Our pitching has been good all season," said catcher Devin Mesoraco. "But offensively I think with the way that we're swinging the bat right now, with Billy really getting on base here the past couple of games, with Joey (Votto) and Jay (Bruce) being back healthy and Brandon (Phillips) doing his thing, (Todd) Frazier really swinging it, I think we can string some wins together and we can get on a pretty good stretch here and put us into a position where in the second half we just have to play good ball and be right there."
One-run games were once a bone of contention. The Reds have gone 4-1 in one-run games during this stretch.
The Reds are now 7-2 against the Pirates this season, including 5-1 in Pittsburgh. They've hit just one home run in the six games at PNC -- Frazier's solo homer in the ninth inning Tuesday night -- but have won with scoring in other ways.
The Reds haven't lost more than four games in a row this season and neither have they won more than four straight. They've been as many as six games below .500. The last time their record was even was their last road trip to Pittsburgh, when they took three of four games to get to 11-11 overall on April 24. They have yet to be above .500 this season.
They can take that step on Thursday.
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