The Pittsburgh Pirates scored 15 runs in the first four innings and took advantage of record wildness from Cincinnati pitching to register another blowout win over the Reds, 17-7, Saturday in Pittsburgh.

Since losing 2-0 to Cincinnati in the first meeting on March 30, Pittsburgh has won the last four by a combined 42-14 score.

Rookie Konnor Griffin doubled, tripled and went 4-for-5 while driving in two, while Ryan O’Hearn doubled and drove in three as the top eight hitters in the Pirates lineup each had at least one hit while seven batters had at least two hits.

Pittsburgh right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski (2-2) was the beneficiary of the offensive outburst, scattering eight hits and five runs over 5 2/3 innings, striking out 10 and walking two for just his second win in seven starts.

For a second straight day, the game was played in raw conditions, with a game-time temperature of 43 degrees.

Pittsburgh reliever Chris Devenski was ejected for throwing inside near the ribcage of Sal Stewart to open the seventh inning. Stewart took exception and stared out at the mound. But the encounter did not escalate as umpires intervened.

Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder (3-2) appeared miserable in the cold and struggled badly early. Lowder was unable to find his rhythm or command while allowing four runs before there were two outs in the first inning. The five runs allowed in the first inning were a career high for the right-hander.

Lowder labored through 30 pitches in the first as O’Hearn, Marcell Ozuna and Griffin all doubled in the five-run outburst. Lowder then walked the bases loaded in the second and was pulled after a career-short 1 1/3 innings, charged with eight runs on five hits, four walks and one strikeout.

Reliever Connor Phillips walked all four batters he faced, forcing in four runs, throwing 21 pitches, only five for strikes as the Pirates scored five more runs in the second without benefit of a hit in the inning, with Cincinnati walking seven straight batters.

The last time seven straight walks were issued in a Major League game came on May 25, 1983, when three different Pirates pitchers walked seven in a row at Atlanta in a 6-0 Braves win.

The five runs in the second inning without benefit of a base hit marked the first time since April 27, 1994, that a team allowed at least five runs in an inning without giving up a hit when Seattle allowed five runs to the New York Yankees in the top of the third inning.

–Field Level Media

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — History was made Saturday at Churchill Downs as Golden Tempo made Cherie DeVaux the first female trainer to saddle a Kentucky Derby winner as the 23-1 longshot edged Renegade by a neck at the wire.

DeVaux, who has saddled 298 winners in 1,802 career starts, joined Jena Antonucci, who trained Arcangelo in the 2023 Belmont Stakes, as the only female trainers to win Triple Crown races.

Sired by Curlin, Golden Tempo made his way to Louisville by winning the Lecomte Stakes and finishing third in both the Risen Star Stakes and Louisiana Derby — all races held at Fair Grounds Race Course in New Orleans.

Renegade, the morning-line favorite at 4-1, also sought to make history by becoming the first horse to win out of the inside gate in 40 years. Midway through the race, he was 15 lengths back. However, under Irad Ortiz Jr., he made a mad dash down the stretch, only to be outdueled by the colt ridden by Jose Ortiz, Irad’s brother.

Renegade charged outside and took the lead late, only for Golden Tempo to go one lane farther outside and overtake Renegade just before the wire.

In going the 1-1/4 miles in 2:02.27, Golden Tempo paid $48.24 to win, $19.14 to place and $11.90 to show. Renegade, who went off as the second choice behind Further Ado, paid $7.14 and $5.46, while Ocelli paid $36.34.

The start to the chilliest Derby since 1989 was delayed several minutes when Great White dropped his jockey and rolled over while waiting to enter the gate. That led to him being a last-minute scratch and prompted track officials to unload and reload the starting gate.

Great White appeared fine as he trotted off the track.

Saturday’s Kentucky Derby was the first race in thoroughbred racing’s Triple Crown. The next leg is the Preakness Stakes, which takes place on Saturday, May 16, at Laurel Park in Laurel, Md. Laurel will host the race this year while Baltimore’s Pimlico Race Course undergoes a $400 million renovation.

–Steve Bittenbender, Field Level Media

FORT WORTH, Texas — During the final caution of Saturday’s Andy’s Frozen Custard 340 at Texas Motor Speedway crew chief Andrew Overstreet radioed an encouraging message to pole winner Justin Allgaier.

“Nothing stops a hungry gator,” said Overstreet, referencing Allgaier’s Little Gator nickname. “Not even the so-called ‘Greatest of All-Time.'”

But Kyle Larson, the G.O.A.T Overstreet referenced, proved too much for Allgaier during a 17-lap green-flag run to the finish. Though Allgaier caught Larson in the closing circuits, he couldn’t find a way past his JR Motorsports teammate, who won his second NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts event in four starts this season.

“I really didn’t think I had a chance there with Justin behind me,” said Larson, who beat Allgaier to the finish line by 0.293 seconds. “He was really good, catching me there on that long run after the (earlier) green-flag stop (on Lap 145 of 200).

“Thanks to him for racing me clean… that was a great little run to the end there.”

The victory was Larson’s second straight at Texas and third overall and the 18th in the series of his career.

Though Allgaier matched his best finish at Texas and increased his series lead to 121 points over second-place Sheldon Creed, the disappointment was etched in the face of the runner-up.

“Without contact, I don’t know if there was any way to get around him, and I tried everything I could possibly try and just unfortunately came up short,” said Allgaier, a three-time winner this season.

Larson was first off pit road under caution for Rajah Caruth’s crash off Turn 2 on Lap 179. Allgaier was third behind Brandon Jones and lined up behind Larson in the bottom lane for the Lap184 restart.

Allgaier quickly cleared Jones and took off in pursuit of Larson, using the top lane to gain time on his teammate. Though Allgaier got to Larson’s bumper in the closing laps, he was stymied in his efforts to pass for the win.

Sam Mayer finished third, one spot ahead of rookie Brent Crews, who collected a $100,000 bonus as the highest-finishing eligible Dash 4 Cash driver. It was the first such payout for Crews in the final Dash 4 Cash event of the season.

The race was punctuated by seven cautions (for 36 laps), the first of which was a bifurcated five-car wreck on the opening lap.

Hendrick Motorsports driver Corey Day entered the race fourth in the series standings and exited the event after a hard crash into the Turn 2 wall on Lap 1.

Larson led a race-high 93 laps, followed by Allgaier (54), who won the first 45-lap stage wire-to-wire. Connor Zilisch won Stage 2 before fading to 21st in the final segment.

NASCAR O’Reilly Auto Parts Series Race — Andy’s Frozen Custard 340

Texas Motor Speedway

Fort Worth, Texas

Saturday, May 2, 2026

1. (3) Kyle Larson(i), Chevrolet, 200.

2. (1) Justin Allgaier, Chevrolet, 200.

3. (17) Sam Mayer, Chevrolet, 200.

4. (5) Brent Crews #, Toyota, 200.

5. (10) Parker Retzlaff, Chevrolet, 200.

6. (11) Sheldon Creed, Chevrolet, 200.

7. (7) Austin Hill, Chevrolet, 200.

8. (2) Brandon Jones, Toyota, 200.

9. (21) Jesse Love, Chevrolet, 200.

10. (8) Jeremy Clements, Chevrolet, 200.

11. (14) Carson Kvapil, Chevrolet, 200.

12. (18) Anthony Alfredo, Chevrolet, 200.

13. (15) Sammy Smith, Chevrolet, 200.

14. (9) Ryan Sieg, Chevrolet, 200.

15. (16) William Sawalich, Toyota, 200.

16. (22) Dean Thompson, Toyota, 200.

17. (28) Patrick Staropoli #, Chevrolet, 200.

18. (26) Josh Williams, Chevrolet, 200.

19. (37) Lavar Scott #, Chevrolet, 200.

20. (27) Brennan Poole, Chevrolet, 200.

21. (4) Connor Zilisch(i), Chevrolet, 199.

22. (24) Harrison Burton, Toyota, 199.

23. (20) Austin Dillon(i), Chevrolet, 199.

24. (38) Ryan Ellis, Chevrolet, 199.

25. (29) Blaine Perkins, Chevrolet, 199.

26. (25) Jeb Burton, Chevrolet, 199.

27. (33) Josh Bilicki, Chevrolet, 198.

28. (36) Joey Gase, Chevrolet, 198.

29. (35) David Starr, Chevrolet, 197.

30. (23) Kyle Sieg, Chevrolet, 196.

31. (32) Garrett Smithley, Chevrolet, 194.

32. (30) Mason Maggio, Chevrolet, 189.

33. (12) Taylor Gray, Toyota, 188.

34. (13) Rajah Caruth, Chevrolet, Accident, 180.

35. (19) Austin Green, Chevrolet, Accident, 17.

36. (34) Brad Perez, Chevrolet, Accident, 17.

37. (6) Corey Day, Chevrolet, DVP, 1.

38. (31) Dawson Cram, Chevrolet, Engine, 1.

–Reid Spencer, NASCAR Wire Service