Tony Tribble, Associated Press Cincinnati Reds' Ryan Freel runs into Pirates catcher Ronny Paulino as he scores on a double by Royce Clayton in the seventh inning last night in Cincinnati. Click photo for larger image. Today Matchup: Pirates (Victor Santos 5-7) vs. Reds (Aaron Harang 12-8), 1:15 p.m. Where: Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati. TV/Radio: FSN Pittsbugh/KDKA-AM (1020) and Pirates Radio Network. Related articles Pirates Notebook: Hernandez could be in the future plans Paul Meyer's Baseball Notebook: Two much! Paul Meyer's Baseball Rankings: 8/20/06

CINCINNATI -- Down 6-0 in the first inning? Yeah, the Pirates could overcome that.

But falling behind, 14-7, late in the game? That was a little too much to ask.

Thus, the Pirates, who tied the score at 7-7 in the top of the seventh inning, lost to Cincinnati, 14-7, last night when the Reds poured across seven runs in the bottom of the seventh.

"This ends up being a loss," manager Jim Tracy said, "but it will help to make us better. It's going to be nothing but a tremendous omen for us as we move forward."

Freddy Sanchez continued to move forward in the National League batting race. He had three hits to raise his league-leading average to .355. Sanchez, hitting .512 during an 11-game hitting streak, also had his league-leading 44th double.

Former Pirates and Dodgers player David Ross led the Reds with three hits and a career-high five RBIs.

"David Ross did significant damage to us, there's no getting around that," said Tracy, who managed Ross in Los Angeles. "Give credit to the player. He's obviously figuring some things out."

Ross in 163 at-bats this season is hitting .282 with 15 home runs and 40 RBIs.

In his best previous season -- 2003 with the Dodgers -- he batted .258 with 10 home runs and 18 RBIs in 124 at-bats.

"Chris Chambliss [the Cincinnati hitting instructor] has helped me a lot," Ross said. "There's also been a lot of hard work over the years. Sometimes you have to struggle before you succeed."

Ross had a run-scoring single in the Reds' huge first inning against Paul Maholm. Two-run doubles by Edwin Encarnacion and Rich Aurilia fueled the inning.

The Pirates, though, wasted little time coming off the mat.

With two outs in the third inning, Sanchez and Jason Bay singled. Xavier Nady doubled in both, then scored on Ronny Paulino's single, halving the Cincinnati lead.

Ross homered in the bottom of the third, but the Pirates brushed that aside.

In the fifth, a single by Jack Wilson and a walk to Sanchez preceded Bay's 26th home run, a drive on a 3-2 pitch into the left-field seats.

Two innings later, the Pirates tied the game.

Wilson led off with a single. Sanchez smoked a double into right-center field.

Bay, down 0-2, lifted a sacrifice fly to center that got Wilson home.

	THE RACE How Freddy Sanchez stands in his bid to become the first Pirates player to win the National League batting title since Bill Madlock in 1983. LAST GAME Last night: 3 for 4 with a walk vs. Reds. LEADERS Freddy Sanchez .355 Miguel Cabrera, Marlins .337 Chipper Jones, Braves .328 NEXT GAME Today: 1:15 p.m. vs. Reds. Pitcher: Aaron Harang. Sanchez is 3 for 11 lifetime vs. Harang.

"A terrific show of character," Tracy said of his team tying the game. "You hate to lose that game from the standpoint of the effort put forth by our club."

The Pirates had no time to enjoy their achievement, though.

Salomon Torres, beginning his second inning of relief, yielded a leadoff single to Ryan Freel. Royce Clayton doubled into right-center field. The Pirates had Freel nailed at the plate by at least 6 feet, but Jose Castillo's relay throw short-hopped Paulino and zipped past him.

Clayton wound up at third on the error charged to Paulino. Torres intentionally walked Ken Griffey Jr., then gave way to Matt Capps. Encarnacion's double off the left-center field wall on a 2-2 pitch drove in Clayton and gave the Reds' third baseman 20 RBIs in his past 15 games.

Adam Dunn drew another intentional walk. After Aurilia popped up weakly to Capps, Ross lined a 3-2 pitch into the left-field corner. That double cleared the bases and hiked Cincinnati's lead to 12-7.

Brandon Phillips home run over the center field wall on a 1-2 pitch finished the offensive.