CINCINNATI, Ohio -- Pedro Alvarez hasnt changed anything in June, except those RBI numbers. Theyre way up there, just like the Pirates. Alvarez drove in all of Pittsburghs runs with a solo homer, bases-loaded double and a single on Thursday for a 5-3 victory over the Cincinnati Reds and a split of their high-profile NL Central series. The Pirates remain a half-game behind second-place Cincinnati after the four-game set, keeping them virtually shoulder-to-shoulder as they chase the torrid St. Louis Cardinals. After blowing a one-run lead in the ninth and losing 2-1 in 13 innings on Wednesday night, Pittsburgh salvaged a game behind Alvarez and a bullpen running on fumes. "We needed a big day from a number of people today and Pedro was one of them," manager Clint Hurdle said. "There was no bigger swing than with the bases loaded, left-on-left. Beautiful." Alvarez had an RBI single and his 16th homer off Homer Bailey, who couldnt follow his no-hitter against Pittsburgh with a win. After Alfredo Simon (5-3) loaded the bases in the seventh, Alvarez doubled off left-hander Tony Cingrani to snap a 2-all tie. The five RBIs were a season high for a Pirate and one shy of Alvarezs career high. The third baseman has been Pittsburghs top run producer in June, leading the team with 48 RBIs overall. Its quite a change. Alvarez .180 in April and .225 in May before finding his form. He has six homers in June, second-most in the NL. "I just think its repetition and getting the opportunity to go out and try to gain as much experience as I can from every day out there," Alvarez said. Bryan Morris (4-2) contributed to the go-ahead rally with his first career single. He also pitched two innings, allowing one run. Left-hander Tony Watson pitched the last two innings for his second save in three chances. The Pirates lead the season series 6-4, holding their own early in the season despite a rotation thats sapped by injuries and a lineup that strikes out a lot and wastes chances. Under the circumstances, the way the series ended was satisfying. "We dont expect anything less," Morris said. "Its good to not lose any ground. Definitely would have loved to have three out of four in the series, but were not complaining about the split, especially after the hard game last night." Jay Bruce hit another solo homer, his third of the series and his fifth in seven games. His ninth-inning shot off Jason Grilli led the way to the draining 13-inning win on Wednesday night. The teams combined for seven homers in the series, all solo shots. Cincinnati hit four in a 4-1 win that opened it. Brandon Cumpton made his second major league start for Pittsburgh, giving up two runs -- one earned -- in five innings. Bailey faced the Pirates for the first time since his no-hitter at PNC Park last September and left after six innings with the score tied at 2. He gave up six hits, throwing 113 pitches. Bailey is 8-2 career against Pittsburgh. "Theyve definitely made strides over the past couple of years, but its early," Bailey said. "They have a good club but the past couple of years, theyve fallen into the pattern of fading, so well see. Its a long season." Alvarezs throwing error helped the Reds get an unearned run in the first. Shin-Shoo Choo reached on Alvarezs team-high 13th error, stole second and came around on Joey Vottos single. Another batter got hit, extending a prominent theme to the Ohio River rivals series this season. At least one batter has been plunked in each of the 10 games, with 19 hit overall. Pirate pitchers have hit 10, Reds pitchers 9, leaving some simmering unhappiness on both sides. Choo has been hit six times, Starling Marte and Andrew McCutchen three times each, Brandon Phillips twice, and five others one time apiece. Evan Longoria Jersey . 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NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- A former Vanderbilt football player was sentenced Friday to 15 years in prison after he was convicted of taking part in the gang rape of an unconscious female student.Davidson County Criminal Court Judge Monte Watkins handed down the sentence for Cory Batey after the victim in the case said her life has been shattered as a result of the rape.The woman was a neuroscience and economics major when she was assaulted in a dorm on the Nashville campus in June of 2013. In all, four former football players were charged. The Associated Press does not generally identify victims of sexual assault.The players used their cellphones to take pictures of the rape. One also videoed it and sent the footage to friends as it was happening.The victim said she learned of what happened to her when detectives showed her the graphic images retrieved from the phones.During her victim impact statement, she described the horror she felt seeing the images of herself.Ive seen with my own eyes what I was when Mr. Batey was done with me: a piece of trash, face down in a hallway, covered in his urine and palm prints, a photograph he took himself, the woman said. There are no words to describe the horror of the images from that night and how it feels to watch yourself be dehumanized.She wept throughout much of her statement as she described how her life and her belief in the fundamental goodness of people were both upended with the discovery of what happened to her.The victim has had to testify at multiple trials, and Bateys high-profile status and the international attention the case received left her in constant fear of being known as the victim. As a result, she said she feels the attack on her continues throughout every new court proceeding.Everything the defendant has done in this case and the media circus surrounding it have been a continuous disruption, repeatedly dragging me back every single step I try to take forward, she said. I can only feel that the defendant has intentionally wanted this to be as tortuous for me as possible.The sentencing comes amid widespreadd furor over a Stanford University swimmer who was sentenced to six months in jail for a similar crime: sexually assaulting an unconscious woman on a college campus.dddddddddddd.In Tennessee, the judge did not have the discretion to give Batey a lighter sentence. Batey was convicted in April of aggravated rape, which carries a sentence of 15 to 25 years.Prosecutors asked for the maximum, saying the crime was particularly egregious and that the punishment would send a message about campus rapes.Prosecutors have said Batey urinated on the woman and made a racial statement at the end of the attack. Batey is African-American and the woman is white. One of the four former players is also white. They did not say what the statement was.The victims said Batey violated her sexually in multiple ways, but it didnt end there.Mr. Batey continued to abuse and degrade me, urinating on my face while uttering horrific racial hate speech that suggested I deserved what he was doing to me because of the color of my skin.Batey, a 22-year-old who grew up in Nashville, apologized to the victim and to his family and mother. He also apologized to Vanderbilt University. He testified at one of his trials that he was drunk and blacked out at the time of the rape.My mother and family did not raise me in any way to mistreat anyone, let alone a woman, as I have been raised predominantly by women, Batey told the court. I hope that if not today, maybe one day, you will find it in your heart to forgive me for any damages that I may have caused.Batey and Brandon Vandenburg were convicted last year, but the verdicts were tossed because a juror did not reveal he was a victim of statutory rape. They have both been convicted a second time. Two other players are awaiting trial.In handing down his sentence, Judge Watkins said the case stood out among the thousands he has seen in 32 years of practicing law.Ive seen so many cases, and this is one of the saddest, Watkins said. Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys From China Nike NFL Jerseys China Cheap Jerseys Store Wholesale Jerseys China Jerseys NFL China ' ' '