Redsground.com | Cincinnati Reds News, reds Scores, Game Recaps & Commentary - <div>CINCINNATI ? It started with Paul Maholm's solid pitching, ended with catcher Ryan Doumit's ninth-inning grand slam and featured an impressive display of left fielder Nyjer Morgan's baserunning in between. </div>It seemed everything was clicking ? particularly for that trio ? as the Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 10-2, Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park. "Games like this, it all starts with your starting pitcher, and Paulie did a nice job," manager John Russell said. "He got us back in the dugout so we could continue to swing the bats. He set a nice tempo, got ahead and did some good things for us." Maholm pitched seven innings and allowed just one run and three hits to earn his first win of the season. He outdid losing pitcher Johnny Cueto, who allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings. The Pirates' ace ? who was relieved by John Grabow and Jesse Chavez ? said his sinker was moving particularly well, and he was confident working with the Pirates' early lead. A Nate McLouth homer put the Pirates (3-2) ahead, 2-0, after the first inning. They built a 5-0 advantage over the Reds (1-3) by the seventh. "Whenever Nate hit that home run in the first, I knew I had to make the two runs stand out," Maholm said. "That was my goal to go out there and let those guys relax. Put up the zero, let them play their game and put up some more runs for me." Doumit put the finishing touches on Maholm's gem when he hit his first career grand slam in the ninth. Hitting his first bases-loaded homer since 2002 in Single-A ball wasn't the only highlight of Doumit's day. He speed up his previously slow start to the season ? 2 for 16 before yesterday ? by going 3-for-5 and tying a career high with four RBI. "I've always believed we were gonna score some runs," Doumit said. "We have a great offense, and we showed that so far this year." Perhaps it was Morgan, though, who provided the biggest spark to the Pirates' offense. The leadoff hitter reached base four times on a triple, hit two singles and a walk. It's no secret that once Morgan gets on base, he has a knack for finding his way around them. The speedster stole two bases and scored two runs. "Whenever Nyjer gets on base, good things happen for us," Russell said. "He's doing a good job staying within himself and using the whole field. When he gets on base, he's obviously a threat." Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez learned that the hard way. With Morgan on second base, McLouth ? who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored ? singled to right center. Morgan rounded third and was expecting a play at the plate. Opting not to slide, Morgan plowed through Hernandez and crossed the plate to give the Pirates a 5-0 advantage and a momentum boost. "You gotta play hard out there," Morgan said. "There's only one way to play, and that's hard, so I thought I'd go out there try to play hard for my teammates." In the seventh inning, he went full-speed before sliding into second base as Freddy Sanchez grounded into a fielder's choice. Morgan was out at second, but his slide disrupted the play and prevented shortstop Alex Gonzalez from turning what would have been an inning-ending double play. That heads-up play made way for Doumit's grand slam, which was followed immediately by first baseman Adam LaRoche's solo homer. "Just like any base stealer, (Morgan is) an aggressive player," Russell said. "He likes to make things happen. Again when he does, it sets up the rest of our offense." How they scored Pirates first inning (Johnny Cueto pitching) ? Nyjer Morgan singled. Nate McLouth homered. Pirates , 2-0. Pirates fourth ? Brandon Moss doubled. Jack Wilson doubled, Moss scored. Morgan tripled, Wilson scored. Pirates 4-0. Reds seventh (Maholm pitching) ? Brandon Phillips walked. Phillips stole second. Edwin Encarnacion grounded out to third, Phillips to third. Jay Bruce grounded into a fielder's choice, Phillips scored. Pirates , 5-1. Pirates ninth (Mike Lincoln pitching) ? Wilson walked. Wilson caught stealing second. Pinch hitter Eric Hinske walked. Morgan singled, Hinske to second. Freddy Sanchez grounded into a fielder's choice, Morgan out at second, Hinske to third. McLouth walked, Sanchez to second. Ryan Doumit homered, Hinske, Sanchez and McLouth scored. Adam LaRoche homered. Pirates , 10-1. Reds ninth (Jesse Chavez pitching) ? Phillips singled. Phillips to second on fielder's indifference. Edwin Encarnacion walked. Bruce singled, Phillips scored. Pirates 10-2.

CINCINNATI ? It started with Paul Maholm's solid pitching, ended with catcher Ryan Doumit's ninth-inning grand slam and featured an impressive display of left fielder Nyjer Morgan's baserunning in between.

It seemed everything was clicking ? particularly for that trio ? as the Pirates defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 10-2, Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.

"Games like this, it all starts with your starting pitcher, and Paulie did a nice job," manager John Russell said. "He got us back in the dugout so we could continue to swing the bats. He set a nice tempo, got ahead and did some good things for us."

Maholm pitched seven innings and allowed just one run and three hits to earn his first win of the season. He outdid losing pitcher Johnny Cueto, who allowed four runs on eight hits in six innings.

The Pirates' ace ? who was relieved by John Grabow and Jesse Chavez ? said his sinker was moving particularly well, and he was confident working with the Pirates' early lead.

A Nate McLouth homer put the Pirates (3-2) ahead, 2-0, after the first inning. They built a 5-0 advantage over the Reds (1-3) by the seventh.

"Whenever Nate hit that home run in the first, I knew I had to make the two runs stand out," Maholm said. "That was my goal to go out there and let those guys relax. Put up the zero, let them play their game and put up some more runs for me."

Doumit put the finishing touches on Maholm's gem when he hit his first career grand slam in the ninth. Hitting his first bases-loaded homer since 2002 in Single-A ball wasn't the only highlight of Doumit's day. He speed up his previously slow start to the season ? 2 for 16 before yesterday ? by going 3-for-5 and tying a career high with four RBI.

"I've always believed we were gonna score some runs," Doumit said. "We have a great offense, and we showed that so far this year."

Perhaps it was Morgan, though, who provided the biggest spark to the Pirates' offense. The leadoff hitter reached base four times on a triple, hit two singles and a walk.

It's no secret that once Morgan gets on base, he has a knack for finding his way around them. The speedster stole two bases and scored two runs.

"Whenever Nyjer gets on base, good things happen for us," Russell said. "He's doing a good job staying within himself and using the whole field. When he gets on base, he's obviously a threat."

Reds catcher Ramon Hernandez learned that the hard way. With Morgan on second base, McLouth ? who went 2-for-3 with two runs scored ? singled to right center. Morgan rounded third and was expecting a play at the plate. Opting not to slide, Morgan plowed through Hernandez and crossed the plate to give the Pirates a 5-0 advantage and a momentum boost.

"You gotta play hard out there," Morgan said. "There's only one way to play, and that's hard, so I thought I'd go out there try to play hard for my teammates."

In the seventh inning, he went full-speed before sliding into second base as Freddy Sanchez grounded into a fielder's choice. Morgan was out at second, but his slide disrupted the play and prevented shortstop Alex Gonzalez from turning what would have been an inning-ending double play.

That heads-up play made way for Doumit's grand slam, which was followed immediately by first baseman Adam LaRoche's solo homer.

"Just like any base stealer, (Morgan is) an aggressive player," Russell said. "He likes to make things happen. Again when he does, it sets up the rest of our offense."

How they scored

Pirates first inning (Johnny Cueto pitching) ? Nyjer Morgan singled. Nate McLouth homered. Pirates , 2-0.

Pirates fourth ? Brandon Moss doubled. Jack Wilson doubled, Moss scored. Morgan tripled, Wilson scored. Pirates 4-0.

Reds seventh (Maholm pitching) ? Brandon Phillips walked. Phillips stole second. Edwin Encarnacion grounded out to third, Phillips to third. Jay Bruce grounded into a fielder's choice, Phillips scored. Pirates , 5-1.

Pirates ninth (Mike Lincoln pitching) ? Wilson walked. Wilson caught stealing second. Pinch hitter Eric Hinske walked. Morgan singled, Hinske to second. Freddy Sanchez grounded into a fielder's choice, Morgan out at second, Hinske to third. McLouth walked, Sanchez to second. Ryan Doumit homered, Hinske, Sanchez and McLouth scored. Adam LaRoche homered. Pirates , 10-1.

Reds ninth (Jesse Chavez pitching) ? Phillips singled. Phillips to second on fielder's indifference. Edwin Encarnacion walked. Bruce singled, Phillips scored. Pirates 10-2.