The play ended the Pirates' scoreless streak at 221/3 innings and set McLouth off on a night in which he would go 3 for 5, score three runs and drive in another, as the Pirates snapped a four-game losing skid with an 8-6 victory over the Cincinnati Reds before 22,891 at PNC Park.

McLouth, in his second game back after missing six with a strained right oblique, is 6 for 10 with a homer, five RBI and five runs in three Saturday games this season. The Pirates are 4-0 on Saturdays this season, including 2-0 against the Reds, and are averaging 9.5 runs in those games.

"That's what Nate can do for us," Pirates manager John Russell said. "That's why it's nice to have him back in the lineup. He's a threat at the plate. He can do a lot of things. His speed adds another dimension to our offense. He beat out a bunt. He has a lot of different weapons that he brings to our offense."

The Pirates backed up a strong outing by Ross Ohlendorf (3-2), who relied heavily on his sinker and allowed six hits and three runs in six innings. But the Reds rallied and had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth when closer Matt Capps struck out Alex Gonzalez.

The four-run first inning was important, considering the Pirates hadn't scored since Wednesday's 6-5 loss at Milwaukee. With the bases loaded and one out, Reds pitcher Micah Owings hit Andy LaRoche with a pitch to score Sanchez and make it 2-0. Ramon Vazquez slapped a two-run single down the right-field line, scoring McLouth and Adam LaRoche for a 4-0 lead.

"It was big," Vazquez said. "Everyone knows we hadn't scored in what seemed like a week. I'm sure it took some of the heat off the pitchers. They probably felt like they had to throw a shutout to have any chance to win. The pitching has been so good, it's nice to pick them up."

McLouth scored on Brandon Moss' single in the third for a 5-0 lead before Ohlendorf gave up a three-run homer off the left-field foul pole to Gonzalez in the fourth. It marked the sixth consecutive game the Pirates have given up a home run, and they have allowed 10 in that span.

But Ohlendorf had solid defense behind him, thanks to a pair of nice plays by McLouth. The Gold Glove center fielder's diving catch robbed Willy Taveras of a hit to right-center in the fourth, and his over-the-shoulder grab of a Ramon Hernandez blast to the warning track ended the fifth.

The Pirates added two runs against reliever Daniel Ray Herrera for a 7-3 lead in the seventh, with McLouth beating out a bunt down the first-base line and Adam LaRoche singling to right, then both scoring on an error by Phillips, who mishandled Adam Rosales' throw from third.

"You've got to keep playing," Sanchez said. "Those guys battled back."

Cincinnati cut it to 7-4 in the eighth. Morgan, however, stretched two bases out of a wild pitch and gave the Pirates an 8-4 edge by scoring on a sacrifice fly by Sanchez in the bottom of the inning.

The Reds rallied in the ninth, cutting it to 8-6 when Joey Votto singled in Taveras, who had reached on a grounder to short, and Phillips singled to left to drive in pinch-hitter Laynce Nix. After getting Jay Bruce to fly out to left, Capps struck out Hernandez, but Vazquez couldn't handle Rosales' grounder, which left the bases loaded.

With two outs and the crowd on its feet, Capps caught Gonzalez swinging for the final out.

"Matt did a good job," Russell said. "He put the ball on the ground. They just happened to find holes. That's a pretty good hitting club, Cincinnati. He closed it out, did what he's supposed to do. ...

"The ninth inning is a tough inning, no matter what the score is."