Pittsburgh, PA (My Sportsbook) - Jason Michaels belted a two-run homer to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates over the Cincinnati Reds, 5-2, in the middle contest of a three-game series at PNC Park.

Brandon Moss also homered and Paul Maholm tossed eight strong innings for the Pirates, who have won two of their last three games.

Maholm (8-7) only yielded two runs on seven hits and no walks. The lefty also struck out five en route to improving his home record to 6-1 this season.

Corey Patterson and Jay Bruce knocked the ball out of the park for the Reds, who have dropped seven of their last eight.

Josh Fogg (2-5) continued to struggle, winning just once in seven starts since returning to the rotation after early season bouts with ineffectiveness and injury. The 31-year-old was tagged for four runs on six hits and two walks in 4 2/3 innings.

The Pirates trailed 1-0, but posted a four-run fourth and led the rest of the way. Moss led off with a double and came around one batter later when Michaels homered to left. Luis Rivas keep it going as he followed with a four-pitch walk and two outs later he raced to third on a Doug Mientkiewicz single. Nate McLouth then walked to load the bases and Ryan Doumit drove in Rivas and Mientkiewicz with a ground-rule double that a fan reached out for over the wall in center.

Bruce led off the seventh with his 12th homer of the year to cut the deficit to 4-2 for the Reds.

Moss added an insurance run with one out in the eighth inning courtesy of a solo home run for the Pirates.

John Grabow tossed a perfect ninth to collect his third save of the season.

The Reds opened up the scoring in the third when Patterson led off with his eighth homer of the season.

Game Notes

R.E.O. Speedwagon was at the game...Moss picked up his first hit at PNC Park as a Pirate with a double in the fifth inning...Fogg is 1-2 in four lifetime starts against the Pirates...Pittsburgh is 7-4 versus the Reds this season.