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Pre-game: Cueto vs. Liriano

Pre-game: Cueto vs. Liriano

Game: Reds (90-72, 0-0 postseason) at Pirates (94-68, 0-0)

Time: 8:07 p.m.

Site: PNC Park

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TV, radio: TBS, KDKA-FM (93.7)

Weather: 69 and sunny

**********

Here is the Reds' postseason roster.

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Starting Pitchers

RHP Johnny Cueto

RHP Mike Leake

Relief Pitchers

Aroldis Chapman (L)

Zach Duke (L)

J.J. Hoover

Sam LeCure

Sean Marshall (L)

Logan Ondrusek

Manny Parra (L)

Alfredo Simon

Catchers

Ryan Hanigan

Devin Mesoraco

Infielders

Zack Cozart

Todd Frazier

Jack Hannahan (L)

Cesar Izturis (S)

Brandon Phillips

Joey Votto (L)

Outfielders

Jay Bruce (L)

Shin-Soo Choo (L)

Billy Hamilton (S)

Chris Heisey

Ryan Ludwick

Xavier Paul (L)

Derrick Robinson (S)

Bat vs. pitch

Liriano vs. Reds: Bruce 0-11, Choo 6-31, Cozart 2-10, Frazier 3-9, Hannahan 2-7, Heisey 2-3, Izturis 3-7, Ludwick 4-9, Mesoraco 2-6, Phillips 3-11, Robinson 1-5, Votto 2-10

Cueto vs. Pirates: Alvarez 5-18, Barmes 2-14, Buck 0-5, Byrd 7-12, Harrison 0-4, Jones 11-39, Marte 0-5, Martin 1-11, McCutchen 9-39, Mercer 1-4, G. Sanchez 2-7, Snider 0-7, Tabata 0-8, Walker 6-28

Lineups

Reds

1. Shin-Soo Choo (L) CF
2. Ryan Ludwick LF
3. Joey Votto (L) 1B
4. Brandon Phillips 2B
5. Jay Bruce (L) RF
6. Todd Frazier 3B
7. Zack Cozart SS
8. Ryan Hanigan C
9. Johnny Cueto RHP

Pirates

1. Starling Marte LF
2. Neil Walker (S) 2B
3. Andrew McCutchen CF
4. Justin Morneau (L) 1B
5. Marlon Byrd RF
6. Pedro Alvarez (L) 3B
7. Russell Martin C
8. Clint Barmes SS
9. Francisco Liriano (L) LHP

Update 4:46 p.m.: Pre-game notes

***Here is audio of Clint Hurdle.

***Here is audio of Dusty Baker.

***The Reds are making their third playoff appearance in four seasons. ... They lost in the 2012 NLDS to the Giants, three games to two, and to the Phillies in 2010, 3-0. ... Game 1 of the '10 series, Roy Halladay threw a no-hitter. ... The Reds won both of their road playoff games last season and lost all three home games. ... The Reds lost their final five games and six of their final eight this season.

***The Pirates went 11-8 against the Reds this season, including 5-4 at home. ... The teams have not met in the postseason since 1970. ... The Pirates went 51-30 at PNC Park this season. ... The Pirates' pitching staff allowed 1,293 hits this season, the fewest in team history in a 162-game format.

***Clint Hurdle, on how he prepared for tonight's game Monday night: "I had a very trying evening. I had to help Maddie with some fifth-grade math homework, then I was challenged with two games of chess with my son Christian who just joined two weeks ago the chess club at school. Then it was the welcoming of family and friends coming in from different parts. I went to bed at 10:30. I got up at 6:15. I'm good to go."

***Hurdle on why Travis Snider on the roster rather than Felix Pie: "At the end of the day, Travis Snider has provided us with the most productive left‑handed bat off the bench. The home runs, the RBIs, he's given us some big swings at the bat this year.

"In lieu of Felix, the base running and the defense, we felt more inclined to go with Travis."

***Asked whether the presence of the Pirates and A's in the playoffs is an indication that revenue sharing is working, Hurdle said: "We try to make adjustments where necessary to enhance financial responsibility and to give, as you said, somewhat of a level playing field. That definitely doesn't hurt. We've been very creative in the past in using our money in the summertime. Now the landscape has changed there a little bit."

Update 6:24 p.m.: More notes.

***Dusty Baker, on tonight's game: "We're in a society that there's only one room at the top. Again, I would like to think if you keep persevering, you'll get to the top. If you don't get to these settings, you have no chance of being a champion.

"It hurts to go home. It hurts to lose. I really can't imagine losing and going home now."

***Baker said he was proud to be back in the playoffs because last year, he was only a a couple of weeks removed from his stroke.

"It was difficult to come here in this setting, in this interview room, because there were a lot of things I couldn't think of, a lot of times I couldn't put things into word the way I'd like to ordinarily," Baker said. "That's the one thing I'm very thankful for, that last year at this time my family and myself, we were a bit apprehensive and nervous at this time."

***Baker said the decision to start Johnny Cueto was easy: Bronson Arroyo and Homer Bailey had just pitched, and Mat Latos had elbow issues.

"The one thing about Johnny, he loves pressure," Baker said. "He loves to be in the big games. He was so happy. If you'd seen this guy, the happiness that he exuded when he was told he was starting this game..."

First Published: March 24, 2016, 5:12 p.m.

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