Tony Tribble, Associated Press Pirates manager Jim Tracy glares at umpire Gary Darling, right, after Darling threw Tracy out of their game against the Reds in the eighth inning in Cincinnati last night. Umpire Bruce Dreckman is at left. Tracy was arguing a play in the outfield that allowed the Reds to go ahead 6-5 and eventually win the game. Click photo for larger image. Related articles Pirates Notebook: Maholm eager to make his 2006 debut Game Statistics Provided by Forecaster Pirates vs. Reds box score Game play-by-play

CINCINNATI -- Jim Tracy couldn't have said it better last night.

"We are obviously having a tough time catching a break," the Pirates manager said.

Or catching anything.

A properly reversed call on what could have been the third out in the bottom of the eighth inning allowed Cincinnati's Adam Dunn to get the run-scoring single he deserved and lifted the Reds to a 6-5 victory against the Pirates.

The Pirates are off to an 0-4 start for the first time since 1994 and for the sixth time in their history. The Pirates last began a season 0-5 in 1974.

The key play occurred after singles by pinch-hitter Chris Denorfia and Felipe Lopez off Mike Gonzalez placed runners on first and second with one out in the eighth.

Gonzalez got Ken Griffey Jr. to pop to shortstop. And Gonzalez was ahead of Dunn 1-2 when Dunn looped a ball into short left-center field.

Center fielder Chris Duffy, playing the left-handed batting Dunn slightly to pull, made a long run but realized a step from nearing the ball he really had only one option -- trap the ball and try to sell it as a catch.

"I tried to sell it the best I could," Duffy said. "I thought I did a pretty good job."

At least third base umpire Bruce Dreckman thought so. He called Dunn out.

The Pirates left the field while Cincinnati manager Jerry Narron argued briefly with the umpires.

Then crew chief Gary Darling, working first base last night, informed Tracy that not only he but also second base umpire Larry Poncino had seen the ball bounce. The umpires reversed the call by Dreckman, who by rules had the initial call. Tracy argued lividly and was quickly ejected from the game.

"Larry and I saw it different, so we got together and [reversed] it and got it right," Darling said.

"It's unfortunate that a team's already off the field," Tracy said. "The call's been made. The call gets reversed. That's the first time I've ever seen a team come all the way into the dugout and then go back onto the field and play some more."

Tracy saw the replay in his office.

"He did not catch the ball," Tracy said.

Tracy thought he had seen a catch from the dugout. He mentioned that Duffy had his glove under the ball -- not trying to catch the ball with his glove fingers up.

"I thought it was one spectacular play," Tracy said. "What I was looking for --with the dive and the distance Duffy went -- was the ball popping back up out of the glove. I didn't see that. I saw the umpire calling out.

"They huddled and, to their credit, they got the call right. That's the bottom line -- they got it right."

Thing is, once again, the Pirates probably shouldn't have been in a position to lose the game on that play.

They got a tying, three-run home run from Joe Randa in the fourth inning and another tying, two-run home run from Ryan Doumit in the eighth. But it was the runs they didn't get that cost them.

"We missed opportunities," Tracy said,

"You know, we can talk about that situation in the eighth inning all we want, but we missed opportunities."

Try the first inning. Duffy was hit by a pitch, and Jack Wilson doubled him to third. Sean Casey, playing as a Pirate for the first time in Cincinnati, stepped in to a standing "ovation" from the 3,000 or so fans who defied a late afternoon rain to show up on time. Casey stepped out of the batter's box and doffed his batting helmet in appreciation.

Then, he fouled weakly to the catcher. Jason Bay tapped to the mound. Jeromy Burnitz flied to right. That left the Pirates 3 for 23 with runners in scoring position this season.

"You'd be hard pressed to convince me that the combination of Casey, Bay, Burnitz and Randa is going to be kept at bay for an entire season," Tracy said.

They were kept at bay for only another couple of innings.

In the fourth, Casey was hit by a pitch. Bay singled him to second. After Burnitz struck out, Randa lined his home run into the left-field seats.

Later in the inning, the Pirates put runners on second and third with two outs, but Duffy looked at a third strike.

"A base hit there could have helped you along," Tracy said.

In the sixth, the Pirates had runners on first and third with two outs, but Duffy grounded into a fielder's choice.

"I could sit here and talk about those things until I'm blue in the face, but those are things if you're going to become a good club you have to pick up on and capitalize," Tracy said. "Thus far, we've not been able to do that."

The Pirates are 4 for 27 with runners in scoring position in their four games.

Their bullpen also is struggling. John Grabow and Gonzalez allowed two runs in three innings last night. In 11 innings thus far, the relievers have yielded 16 hits, including three home runs, and 11 runs -- all earned.

Starter Ian Snell allowed 10 hits and four runs in his five innings.

"I thought he battled," Tracy said. "He didn't have his breaking ball until his last two innings. That's a tough club to pitch against with basically just your fastball."