Russell Branyan became the first Red to homer over the Black Wall - the 40-foot “batter's eye” 393 feet away in center field — since it was built before the 2001 season.

Russell Branyan watches his home run. (Brandi Stafford photo) | ZOOM |

        He's just the fourth player to do it.

        “I don't know what happened,” said Branyan, who made his sixth consecutive start at first base in the Reds' 3-0 win over the Pirates. “I was so tired of pulling off the ball and fouling off outside pitches, and I was so focused on trying to hit the ball the other way that I couldn't even tell you what the pitch was.”

        His sixth-inning homer off Kip Wells (12-14) was his 11th since the Reds acquired him from Cleveland on June 7.

        “I was trying to stay hard in, but I threw him a hanging changeup, and he stayed on it,” Wells said.

        Rookie Wily Mo Pena pinch hit for starter Danny Graves and got an infield single in his first major league plate appearance. BPena became the first Reds player to get a hit in his first major league at-bat since D.T. Cromer's pinch-single off Milwaukee's Jimmy Haynes — now with the Reds — on April 5, 2000.

        Cincinnati clinched its first home series win since a three-game sweep of San Diego Aug. 9-11.

        Cincinnati got its sixth shutout of the season and sent Pittsburgh to its 14th shutout loss. The Pirates (63-82) are ensured of a 10th straight losing season, a franchise record that broke the mark set from 1949 through 1957.

        They are the 18th major league franchise to record at least 10 consecutive losing seasons, a group that includes the 1945 to 1955 Reds.

        “We're just trying to get better, one game at a time,” Pittsburgh manager Lloyd McClendon said.

        The crowd of 13,153 was Cincinnati's third-smallest of the season.

Reds 3, Pirates 0 Reds Box, Runs Rijo deserves to start Cinergy finale Branyan conquers Black Wall Taylor gets down the line fast Reds mark 9-11 with pregame ceremonies Cards 8, Brewers 3 Astros 11, Rockies 4 Diamondbacks 8, Padres 2 Giants 5, Dodgers 2 Angels 5, Athletics 2 Rangers 3, Mariners 2

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