For four innings it worked perfectly and that’s literally perfect, 12 up and down down from Buck Farmer, Sam Moll and Tony Santillan.
In the process, the Reds built a five-run lead, safe enough for Bell to send Alan Busenitz to the mound in the fifth inning, a pitcher called up Friday from Triple-A Louisville to replace Abbott.
It was not safe enough.
The game exploded all over the Reds — a four-run fifth against Busenitz and two more in the sixth against Justin Wilson.
That’s all the Pirates needed to post a 6-5 win after the Reds led, 5-0.
Pittsburgh had lost 15 of its last 20 and nine of those 15 losses were by one run. This time they were one-run winners, dropping the Reds to 10-22 in one-run games.
And the Reds have lost six of eight and fallen five games below .500 at 62-67.
With the loss of Abbott, the Reds are now missing four of the five original members of the rotation. Frankie Montas was traded and Graham Ashcraft, Abbptt and Hunter Greene are on the injured list.
The Reds received a sliver of positive news when Greene received a second opinion on his sore shoulder and the report was no damage.
Back to the negative side, the Reds lost two position players to the injured list this week, infielder Jeimer Candelario and outfielder Jake Fraley.
Tyler Stephenson started the game with a two-out, 436-foot home run over the center field wall, the longest home run of his career.
The Reds played an aggressive and productive fourth inning for four runs against Pittsburgh left-hander Bailey Falter.
They produced four hits and scored on a sacrifice fly by Ty France, a safety squeeze bunt by Stuart Fairchild, a hit-and-run single by Amed Rosario and a two-run single by Santiago Espinal.
After playing a perfect inning, the Reds disintegrated.
Busenitz opened the fifth by giving up three straight hits that included a two-run double by Bryan De La Cruz that plopped on the right field foul line, a run-scoring infield out by Billy McKinney and a throwing error on what should have been an inning-ending double play ball to first baseman Ty France. A run scored and the Pirates were within 5-4.
Wilson took over in the fifth and quickly gave up a double to Oneil Cruz, a single to Joey Bart that tied it and a sacrifice fly by Bryan De La Cruz to push the Pirates ahead, 6-5.
The Reds spent the rest of the night in frustration mode.
Espinal produced three hits but had a bad night on the basepaths.
In the third inning, he was on second and Noelvi Marte was on first with one out. They attempted a double steal and Espinal was called safe at third. But replay/review revealed that he lifted his hand off the bag after his slide and was tagged out.
With the Reds down a run in the seventh, he singled to left and tried to stretch it into a double and McKinney threw him out.
Former Reds closer Aroldis Chapman pitched the eighth and quickly struck out Elly De La Cruz and Stephenson. But he walked Spencer Steer on a full count and France singled, sending Steer to third — potential tying run on third, potential go-ahead run on first.
Fairchild worked a full count, then took a called third strike.
The Reds threatened again in the ninth against Pittsburgh closer David Bednar when Will Benson led off with a double. Espinal struck out and pinch-hitter TJ Friedl flied to right and Benson took third.
Jonathan India walked and once again the Reds had the potential tying run on third and the potential go-ahead run on first.
De La Cruz swung at the first pitch and left fielder McKinney made a sliding catch to end it, an 0 for 5 night for De La Cruz.
The Reds outhit the Pirates, 9-8, but were 1 for 7 with runners in scoring position and stranded six.
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