Nova’s rare rough start thwarts Bucs in finale

CINCINNATI — In their first two meetings this season, Ivan Nova baffled the Reds. Cincinnati figured him out Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park, forcing him out after three innings and cruising to a 7-4 win. Joey Votto had four hits and homered, Scott Schebler tacked on three hits and Tucker Barnhart drove in four runs as the Reds avoided a three-day, four-game sweep.

Nova held the Reds to four runs on 12 hits without a walk over his first 16 innings against the Reds, but he couldn’t repeat that success Sunday. He allowed five runs (three earned) on nine hits in three innings, his shortest start of the season. It has been a sensational second half for Nova, the Pirates’ latest pitching success story who entered the game with a 2.41 ERA over his first eight starts with the Bucs.

Votto tied his career high with four hits and a walk and homered to left in the eighth against right-hander Drew Hutchison. After Pedro Florimon’s two-run triple gave the Bucs an early lead, Barnhart lashed a game-tying double in the second. Votto and Brandon Phillips doubled in the third, then Schebler singled home a run and Barnhart plated another with his first of two sacrifice flies.

Reds right-hander Dan Straily made a quality start, allowing three runs in six innings, and picked up his first Major League hit. The loss ended the Pirates’ four-game winning streak and dropped them back under .500, further damaging their already-dwindling postseason odds.

MOMENTS THAT MATTEREDTucker and run: Barnhart’s bat ended up being the difference for the Reds’ offense. He drove a long two-run double into the right-center gap in the second to bring the game back to a tie and then drove in two more with sacrifice flies to center in the third and seventh. It …

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