Reds 5, Pirates 4

Brandon Phillips' play to end Thursday's game was a good as I've been. And Phillips said it's as good as he's made.

“It’s probably the best of my career,” Phillips said. “Game on the line. It doesn’t get any better than that.”

David Weathers, who gave up the hit, put it like this: “I’ve lost games like that. That’s the first I’ve ever been saved by a throw. Nine and a half times out of 10, he scores.”

Here's the situation: Two outs, ninth inning. Josh Phelps on second. Nate McLouth bloops one down the right field line.

"I thought (first baseman Jeff) Keppinger was going to catch it," Phillips said. "I was just there backing up in case."

The ball fell. Phillips bare-handed it, set himself and made a strong but arcing throw to the plate. Javy Valentin had to jump to catch it. But he held on as Phelps hit him. Game over.

"It's amazing. The throw came right to me," Valentin said. "I don't have to move. "

It was end to a wild, bizarre night. See the previous post on how the Reds basically had two runs taken off the board.

Oh yeah, Phillips have three more hits. He has at least two hits in his last seven games.