Starling Marte hit his first career grand slam, Will Clarke Jerseyconnecting off new Reds closer J.J. Hoover and lifting the unbeaten Pittsburgh Pirates over Cincinnati 6-5 on a blustery Friday night.

The Pirates improved to 4-0 for the first time since 2003 by taking advantage of Cincinnati's unsettled back of the bullpen. The Reds lost for the first time.

Down 5-2, Pittsburgh http://www... the bases in the eighth inning off Ross Ohlendorf, who hit a batter, walked another and gave up an infield hit with two outs. Hoover (0-1) came on for his first save opportunity since replacing closer Aroldis Chapman, who was traded to the Yankees in the offseason.

Marte hit Hoover's second pitch into the stands in left field, the Pirates' first homer of the season.

Ryan Vogelsong (1-0) gave up a pair of runs - one earned - in two innings. [url=http://www.officialbengalsnflstore.com/AUTHENTIC+AJ+HAWK+JERSEY]http://www.... Melancon pitched the ninth for his second save in as many chances.

It was a sloppy game on a night with bursts of rain, sleet and snow. The Reds had three errors - two by third baseman Eugenio Suarez - and the Pirates had a pair of them, including a throwing error by catcher Francisco Cervelli that led to a run.

Brandon Phillips was back in Cincinnati's starting lineup after missing two games with a stomach illness. He drove in a pair of runs with a homer and a sacrifice fly off Francisco Liriano. He also scored on Vogelsong's wild pitch in the seventh for a 5-2 lead.

Alfredo Simon made his first start since [url=http://www.officialpanthersnflshop.com/MEN+JOSH+NORMAN+JERSEY]Josh Norman Jerseyreturning to the Reds, who traded him to Detroit for Suarez after the 2014 season. He went five innings and gave up a pair of runs, including Liriano's RBI double. The left-hander also drove in the first run of the season in the major leagues and has three hits, one more than Joey Votto.

Pirates: Marte, David Freese and John Jaso were hit by pitches, making it 36 Pirate batters plunked [url=http://www.officialpanthersnflshop.com/MEN+AJ+KLEIN+JERSEY]http://www.offic... Reds pitchers in the last four seasons. Liriano hit Jay Bruce in the fourth inning, the 37th Reds batter plunked by a Pirate over the same span - the most in the majors.

Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani won't start on Sunday as planned. The Reds want to give him more time to recover from a strained left oblique. ... RHP Jon Moscot - one of four Reds starters on the DL - will pitch for Triple-A Louisville on April 12 and could be activated to start on the 17th in St. Louis. He had shoulder surgery last June.