CINCINNATI -- The Pittsburgh Pirates have lost seven of 11 and are clinging to slim hopes of securing one of the two National League wild card spots. The Pirates trail by six games for the coveted second spot and have three teams to leapfrog.Injuries have been a common theme. Gerrit Cole was shut down for the season this week. The Pirates have used 54 players this season, eclipsing the franchise record of 52 in 2011.We did set the record, and we gave it some gap, right? manager Clint Hurdle said Wednesday. Im guessing we need to be done. If we need any more, I think weve got another challenge on our hands.The Pirates playoff chase continues Friday when they begin a four-game series against the Reds at Great American Ball Park, where more protective gear might be needed.Over the past four seasons, Reds pitchers have hit 51 batters, including 18 this season, the most by any major league staff against any opponent. Pirates pitchers have hit 45 Reds batters, including nine in 2016, second-most of any staff.And, Pittsburgh doesnt just plunk the Reds.Over the past four seasons, Pirates pitchers lead the major leagues in number of batters hit. Going into their series finale on Wednesday at Philadelphia, the Pirates had hit 295 batters, following by the Reds 264 and White Sox 243.Taking aim on Friday will be right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, whos 5-6 with a 4.81 ERA in 22 career appearances including 12 starts.Vogelsongs last outing against Cincinnati didnt go well. He allowed six earned runs on seven hits and walked three in an 8-0 loss at PNC Park on Sunday.He missed nearly two months after being struck near the left eye by a Jordan Lyles pitch on May 23. He suffered facial fractures but managed to return in early August.Right-hander Robert Stephenson, one of the Reds top pitching prospects, will make his fifth career appearance and third start since he was promoted in September.Stephenson was the first Reds pitcher to win his first two major league starts since Larry Luebbers in 1993.The Pirates come in with some momentum after Andrew McCutchen hit two homers in a 15-2 win at Philadelphia.Cincinnati has gone 30-26 since the All-Star break, including winning five of its last six. But, the Reds do have some injuries with shortstop Zack Cozart missing four games with a sore knee and center fielder Billy Hamilton out indefinitely with a strained left oblique.Its always a high-tension affair when these two NL Central rivals square off, and this seasons series has been evenly played. Pittsburgh has gone 7-8 this season against the Reds including 2/3 at Great American Ball Park.On Saturday, theyll play a day-night doubleheader. The first game beginning at 12:10 p.m. EST will make up the May 10 game which was rained out. The second game will begin at approximately 6:10 p.m. Joe Theismann Jersey . McPhee said that Ovechkins father Mikhail is in stable condition after having the surgery this week and is no longer in intensive care. "Weve told him to stay as long as necessary with your dad," he said. Ovechkin and his Russian national team were eliminated from the mens hockey tournament in Sochi on Wednesday with a 3-1 quarter-final loss to Finland. Sam Huff Jersey . Colin Wilson had two goals and an assist, and Mike Fisher scored a goal and helped set up two others in the Predators 6-4 victory over the Red Wings on Monday night. https://www.redskinssportsgoods.com/Womens-Trent-Williams-Inverted-Jersey/ . PETERSBURG, Fla. Darrell Green Redskins Jersey . Vaives lawyer Trevor Whiffen claims the former 50-goal man wasnt provided with a copy of the claim beforehand and that he would not have agreed to the allegations made against the NHL had he been asked to review its contents. Charley Taylor Youth Jersey .com) - Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Roger Federer were easy first-round winners Tuesday at the Australian Open. FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Dusan Perovic hit 5 of 9 from 3-point range, finished with 21 points and seven rebounds and Binghamton rallied from a 10-point second-half deficit to beat Long Beach State 72-64 on Thursday night.J.C. Show also had 21 points and Yosef Yacob hit 3-of-3 3-pointers and scored 15 for Binghamton (4-3).Perovic hit two 3s during a 17-5 run that gave Binghamton a 49-47 lead -- its first since midway through the first half -- with 6:48 to play. After LBSU briefly regained the lead, Yacob scored five points during an 11-4 run to make iit 64-57 with 1:34 left and the Bearcats held on from there.ddddddddddddEvan Payne led LBSU (1-6) with 14 points. The 49ers made 3-of-16 (18.8 percent) 3-pointers, 9-of-16 (56.3) free throws and have lost six in row.Binghamton shot just 22 percent and scored 17 points in the first half but shot 52 percent from the field, hit 7-of-14 3-pointers and scored 55 points in the second -- its most points in a half this season. ' ' '