"He throws strikes, he has guts and he has determination," manager Dusty Baker said. "His trouble here was the second and third time through the batting order."

Belisle tried to talk his way into the Reds' bullpen. He told Baker, "I can do it here," and Baker said, "I don't doubt that, but you need to see yourself do it in Louisville and on consecutive days."

Belisle was 1-4 with a 7.28 ERA in six starts.

"I told him to go down there, do his thing, pitch his butt off and we'd try to get him back here as soon as we can," Baker said. "He would have a good one, a bad one, a fair one, a bad one. Trouble would happen the second or third time around, and as a reliever they don't get you that second or third time around."

PIRATES 7, REDS 2: Aaron Harang, pitching on three days of rest, was pounded for six runs and 10 hits over four innings (seven doubles and a home run). Cincinnati mustered only two hits (a bunt single and an infield single) in seven innings against lefty Phil Dumatrait, whom the Pirates picked up off waivers from the Reds last October.