PITTSBURGH — Take that, Reds fans.

Pokey Reese (right) is greeted by Chad Hermanson after Reese's two-run homer. (AP photos) | ZOOM |

        Pokey Reese, the former Red on top of the Cinergy Field boo list, equaled a career high with four RBI as his new team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, beat his old one 6-3 Wednesday night before 32,864 at PNC Park.

        The Pittsburgh crowd loved Reese's performance. A half-inning after he hit a two-run homer, Reese went into mid-range center field to rob the Reds' Aaron Boone of a hit.

        The chief victim on Pokey Night was right-hander Ryan Dempster (5-10). Dempster, in his second start as a Red, went six innings, allowing six runs on seven hits.

        Dempster is 0-2 as a Red with an 11.17 ERA. In 18 starts with the Florida Marlins, Dempster gave up more than four runs just three times. He has given up six runs in each start as a Red.

Ryan Dempster has been a bust in his first two starts. | ZOOM |

        “We've got a bit of a project on our hands,” Reds manager Bob Boone said. “There are some mechanical things. It's tough because you've got like 12 minutes between starts to work on it.”

        Would they consider having Dempster skip a start or two to try to fix his problems?

        “I'm not going to talk about that,” Boone said. “I don't know.”

        Dempster was disappointed by the outings, particularly because of the timing. Wednesday's loss snapped the Reds' three-game winning streak and prevented them from pulling within 2 1/2games of the first-place St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central.

        “It ticks me off,” Dempster said. “I got ahead of hitters. When you do that, you earn the right to make them hit your pitch. I didn't make pitches.”

Barry Larkin leaps for a high throw. | ZOOM |

        The best example of that was the pitch Reese hit out to make it 6-2 in the sixth. Dempster was ahead of Reese 1-2 with two outs.

        “If he didn't hit that home run, we still have a chance,” Dempster said. “But I didn't make a pitch. That's really the bottom line.”

        Reese came in hitting .240 and hadn't hit a home run since June9. But he has been hot lately. He extended his hitting streak to six games and has seven RBI in that span.

        Pittsburgh left-hander Jimmy Anderson (7-10) beat the Reds for the second time in two starts. He is 2-1 with a 2.35 ERA vs.Cincinnati this season and 4-9 with a 5.68 ERA against everyone else.

        “We had a lot of very poor at-bats,” Boone said. “We chased balls that were up and out of the strike zone. We were swinging like he was Sandy Koufax.”

Adam Dunn is tagged out after a rundown. | ZOOM |

        The Reds took a 1-0 lead in the first. Aaron Boone and Adam Dunn walked with one out. After Austin Kearns hit into a fielder's choice, Sean Casey got a run home with an infield single.

        Dempster struggled from the start. Pittsburgh loaded the bases in the first, but he escaped without damage, thanks to an inning-ending double play.

        Dempster wasn't so lucky or so good in the second. The Pirates started the inning with three straight hits. Kevin Young singled to right, and Chad Hermansen followed with a shot to left-center that bounded over the fence for a ground-rule double.

        Reese got both runners home with a single up the middle, making it 2-0.

        Dempster was back in trouble in the third. Aramis Ramirez singled to left, Craig Wilson walked and Young followed with a two-run double. That put the Reds down 4-1.

        The Reds' offense continued to sputter. They left five runners on base in the first three innings.

Todd Walker steals second. | ZOOM |

        They finally broke through in the fourth. Todd Walker singled and stole second (the Reds' second steal of the night, their 12th in four games). Dempster got Walker home with a double to center.

        After Young's double, Dempster retired nine of the next 10 batters. But he walked Hermansen with two outs in the sixth, and Reese followed with an opposite-field home run to right. It was only Reese's second homer of the year.

        “It would have been six pretty good innings if he didn't hang that last breaking ball,” Bob Boone said.

        Brandon Larson's RBI single with one out in the ninth cut the Reds' deficit to 6-3 and chased Pittsburgh reliever Scott Sauerbeck. Pirates closer Mike Williams entered, and retired Barry Larkin and Boone on fly balls for his 29th save.

Pirates 6, Reds 3 Reds Box, Runs Rijo returns with more speed (93 mph) Reese's revenge: 4 RBI, great catch Hamstring puts Hamilton back on DL Reds Notebook: Chen solid in relief Rose defends Selig in All-Star flap Cinergy farewell tickets on sale July 27 Diamondbacks 12, Rockies 3 Padres 7, Dodgers 0 Giants 5, Cardinals 4 Angels 10, Athletics 4 Rochester 10, Louisville 5

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