PITTSBURGH -- Getting to . San Francisco 49ers Jerseys .500 certainly is not the ultimate goal for a franchise that has been to the post-season in three of the last four seasons. Considering the Cincinnati Reds started the year at 3-8, however, they were happy to get their record to 11-11 on Thursday. Ryan Ludwick lined a two-run double after two batters were hit by pitches, lifting Tony Cingrani and the Reds over the Pittsburgh Pirates 2-1. The Reds won for the seventh time in nine games. "Three series wins in a row, back to .500," Ludwick said. "The pitching was outstanding. Pitching wins championships and those guys did an outstanding job. If we keep getting pitching like that, were going to be back in this thing in a hurry." The Pirates have lost six of seven, scoring a total of 22 runs in that span. Cingrani (2-2) allowed one run and six hits in six innings. He struck out seven and walked two. Logan Ondrusek, Sam LeCure and Jonathan Broxton pitched one scoreless inning each in relief of Cingrani. Broxton recorded his fourth save. "Certainly a great series here," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We had to battle -- they pitched us tough, as they always do. Theyve got a good squad, and some way we found a way to grind out three victories here. Im really proud of the boys." Ludwicks double in the sixth drove in Joey Votto and Todd Frazier. Both of them were plunked by rookie Brandon Cumpton (0-1), promoted from Triple-A earlier in the day. "It was great because we were starting to get a little irritated because we had three hit batters in the game and a couple of our guys got squared up pretty good," Price said. "I dont think there was any intent to it, but the fact his two-run double followed the third hit by pitch had a little bit more sweetness to it for sure," he said. Cumpton gave up just two runs in seven innings while taking the rotation spot of lefty Wandy Rodriguez, put on the disabled list Monday with inflammation in his left knee. Cumpton held the Reds to four hits while walking one and striking out five, but also hit three batters. He had a string of 20 consecutive scoreless innings in the major leagues, dating to last season, until Ludwick snapped it. "I was feeling good, trying to attack guys and be aggressive," Cumpton said. "Unfortunately, I let a couple of pitches get away." Ludwick had two of the Reds five hits. Neil Walker got two of Pittsburghs seven hits. The Pirates scored in the first inning when Pedro Alvarez singled in Walker, who had drawn a walk. Pittsburgh left eight runners on base as it fell a season-worst five games under .500 at 9-14 a year after both making the post-season and having a winning record for the first time since 1992. "We cant worry about where we are right now," Pirates centre fielder Andrew McCutchen said. "We know were going to be better. Were going to learn as a team and keep pushing forward." "Its having a trust in one another, having each others backs. Weve just to keep working on things." NOTES: Reds CF Billy Hamilton was caught stealing as a pinch runner. He didnt start, and Price said he wants to give the rookie leadoff hitter some regular mental breaks throughout the season. ... Pittsburgh C Russell Martin did not start for a second straight game with what manager Clint Hurdle said after the game was "lower body soreness." . Cincinnati opens a three-game series Friday night against the Braves at Atlanta with RHP Homer Bailey 1-1, 5.75) facing RHP Ervin Santana (2-0, 0.86). ... The Pirates begin a three-game series Friday at St. Louis against the Cardinals with RHP Gerrit Cole (2-1, 3.67) matching up against RHP Shelby Miller (1-2, 3.57). Mike McGlinchey 49ers Jersey . According to a police report, Douglas is accused of grabbing his girlfriend by the neck and slamming her against the wall several times while he carried her from the elevator to their Hartford hotel room early Sunday morning. Mike McGlinchey Jersey .C. - Blair Jones scored the eventual winner in the third period as the Abbotsford Heat defeated the Oklahoma City Oil Barons 3-2 in American Hockey League action on Friday. http://www.49ersrookiestore.com/49ers-Fred-Warner-Jersey/ . Catch all the action on TSN2 and TSN GO at 9pm et/6pm pt. San Antonio took the series lead Monday night with a 122-105 home victory in Game 1. The Spurs used a balanced scoring attack and clamped down defensively late in the third quarter to claim the win. LOUISVILLE, Ky. -- Looking back, Bobby Petrino said the first of his many mistakes in recent years was leaving Louisville, which provided the first of several head coaching opportunities on the college and professional levels. Upon returning Thursday to the Cardinals after seven years, Petrino promised his second stint would be permanent because this was always his destination -- even with collegiate stops at Arkansas and Western Kentucky and a 13-game foray with the NFLs Atlanta Falcons. Petrino returns to a Louisville program that has changed a lot since he left, one thats gearing up to join the Atlantic Coast Conference next season with a home game against newly-crowned champion Florida State. The coach insisted that hes a changed person as well as he enters the next -- and hopefully final -- stop in his career. "Its great to be back home," Petrino said during a sometimes-emotional news conference. "Its really unbelievable to get the opportunity to come back here. For (wife) Becky, and (children) Nick and Bobby and Katie, this is our home and were excited to be able to come back." Petrino coached Western Kentucky to an 8-4 record last season in his only year with the team. He led the Cardinals to a 41-9 mark from 2003-06 including a BCS Orange Bowl victory his final season. He succeeds Charlie Strong, who left last weekend after four years to accept the Texas job. Petrino inherits a team coming off a 12-1 finish and is 23-3 the past two seasons with two bowl wins. Petrino received a seven-year contract with a base annual salary of $3.5 million. It includes a $10 million buyout for leaving that decreases after four years. But the well-travelled coach said that will not be necessary because this is his "destination job." Petrino is 83-30 as a college coach. His record includes a 34-17 mark at Arkansas that ended amid scandal in April 2012. He came to the Razorbacks after a 3-10 season in 2007 with the Falcons that ended with the coach announcing his departure by letters left at the players lockers. "I made mistakes, both professionally and personally, and thats something Im not going to do again," Petrino said. "The first mistake was leaving Louisville, and Im hoping that the fans and everybody will forgive me. Im more energized, more excited than Ive ever been." Petrino had been mentioned for the Louisville job almost from the moment Strong left for the Longhorns, but the coach said he became aware of the opening only after Cardinals athletic director Tom Jurich approached WKU athletic director Todd Stewart for permission to interview him. Jurich said he was angry at Petrino early in the Tuesday interview because of the coachs behaviour in his previous Louiisville stint, one that included player disciplinary issues. Weston Richburg Jersey. The AD also said he was mad at Petrino for leaving after the Orange Bowl win for the pros, though he acknowledged the coach was honest about his interest in the job. On Sunday, Jurich said he and Petrino had previously resolved their differences. But he wanted to see if the coach had truly changed as he has professed since Arkansas fired him for "a pattern of misleading behaviour" following a motorcycle accident in which he revealed his mistress was a passenger. Jurich came away convinced he was getting a different man from the one who left, reinforcing his belief that Petrino was the right fit for the Cardinals. "If it was the same Bobby that was here 10 years ago, I wasnt interested," said Jurich, adding that he kept coming back to Petrino as he went through a list of seven finalists. "He is definitely a changed person." While Petrinos critics have been skeptical about his commitment, public sentiment for his hiring has been mostly favourable on sports talk radio, online polls and social media. Petrino has been contrite since the embarrassing matter and reiterated Thursday he has been humbled by his experiences. Asked how he would quell skepticism, the coach said, "the thing you do is just show (it). I have a sign in the locker room that says its a show-me world." Petrino is already off and running on his staff. A person familiar with the situation tells The Associated Press that UAB coach Garrick McGee is stepping down and has agreed to become Petrinos offensive co-ordinator. The new Cardinals coach added that he will retain defensive line coach Clint Hurtt, penalized in October by the NCAA for violations committed as a Miami (Fla.) assistant. Louisvilles hiring of the offence-minded Petrino excited Cardinals players, such as leading rusher Dominique Brown, because of the potential of maintaining a high-powered unit Strong left behind. He acknowledged there were questions about his commitment but said those doubts disappeared after the coach met with players. "There were a couple of on the fence, but now all the players are convinced," Brown said. "We knew what we had while he was here, a top-10 offence. He had a good track record while he was here. I knew he liked to use big backs like Michael Bush. I was kind of worried, but now we are all convinced." Petrino said he was excited to get started with his second go-round with Louisville. "Its certainly a privilege to see how everything has moved, and now were going into the ACC," he said. "Its a great challenge to see the schedule we have coming up, and I cant wait to play that schedule." Cheap Red Sox Jerseys Cheap Marlins Jerseys Cheap Mets Jerseys Cheap Phillies Jerseys Cheap Nationals Jerseys Cheap Cubs Jerseys Cheap Reds Jerseys Cheap Brewers Jerseys Cheap Pirates Jerseys Cheap Cardinals Jerseys Cheap Diamondbacks Jerseys Cheap Rockies Jerseys Cheap Dodgers Jerseys Cheap Padres Jerseys Cheap Giants Jerseys ' ' '