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PITTSBURGH -- Maybe its the lack of pressure on a team that is out of contention as mid-September approaches. Maybe its one or two players making a difference here and there.Whatever it is, the Cincinnati Reds have been a thorn in the Pittsburgh Pirates sides in a weekend series which concludes Sunday at PNC Park. The Reds lost Thursday in the series opener but have come back to win two in a row against a team desperate for wins.I feel like when you start to put too much context into a game, you fall prey to the ebbs and flows of the season, said Cincinnatis Joey Votto, whose homer Saturday provided the winning margin in an 8-7 game.I feel like the best teams and the best players dont pay attention to those kind of things and are just trying to execute. Thats why I think the rah-rah ... doesnt work in this game. Youve got to go out and play well.The Pirates would do well to use that or any other formula that would produce more wins. Pittsburgh (69-71) has lost 10 of its past 12 games and is 5 1/2 games behind of the National League wild-card cutoff, with 22 games remaining.The series against the Reds (59-82) marks the first four games of 15 in a row against teams that are playing out the season, which would seem like an opportune situation.Manager Clint Hurdle approached being terse -- something not normally in his character -- after Saturdays loss when asked about any message he was sending to the Pittsburgh players.The one thing I do is when I talk to guys, I dont tell you I talk to them, Hurdle said.Votto isnt sure any lectures or messages are needed if players are accountable.In my experience, all players feel they have the responsibility to do the best they can every day, regardless of where your team or the other team is in the standings, he said.Manager Bryan Price, Votto said, sets the tone for the Reds.Bryan is always managing to win, Votto said. Hes never worrying about fairness. Hes trying to win every game.Price is one win shy of 200 career wins.Sunday, Price will sent left-hander Brandon Finnegan (8-10, 4.17 ERA) to the mound.Over Finnegans past four starts, opposing hitters are just 12-for-86 (.140), but he has been the victim of some less than ideal circumstances this season. Five times, the Reds have blown saves in games he has pitched. Twice, he has taken a no-hitter into the seventh inning but wasnt able to complete it.The Pirates are in a stretch where they are managing their rotation in a way to keep some of their young arms fresher in the hope they make the playoffs, but that wont apply to right-hander Ryan Vogelsong, who his scheduled to start Sunday.Vogelsong (3-4, 4.07) will be making his eighth appearance since he returned from the DL after taking a pitch to the face and having surgery in May, so his season pitch count isnt a concern. 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The Seminoles (4-0) have scored at least 80 points in each of their games.CINCINNATI -- Edmond Sumner ditched the tape on his injured finger and played his best all-around game, a good sign for No. 17 Xavier as it enters Big East play.Sumner scored 12 of his 14 points while Xavier took control in the first half, and the Musketeers picked up their third straight win, 85-56 over Eastern Washington on Tuesday night.After a sluggish start, the Musketeers (10-2) took control with a 35-8 run. Sumner ran the show, ignoring the finger injury he suffered a few games ago.Every time I catch or dribble the ball, its just nagging, said Sumner, who had been taping together the two outside fingers on his left hand. Im a little superstitious. With the tape, I felt I had no control over the ball. I had to suck it up and play through the pain.Sumner finished with a career-high nine assists and no turnovers. Trevon Bluiett added 16 points, and Xavier had five players score in double figures.Jacob Wiley had 16 points for Eastern Washington (8-4) , which trailed by as many as 29 points.We were up 11 at the 11-minutes mark, then Xavier showed why theyre a Top 10 team, Eastern Washington coach Jim Hayford said. They were 6 for 6 closing out the first half. When they shoot the ball that well, theyre an unbeatable team.Eastern Washington made eight of its first 13 shots -- including two 3s by Felix Von Hofe -- against Xaviers sluggish defense for a 22-11 lead. Thats when Xavier turned it on, finishing the half on a 35-8 surge.We clamped down after sleep walking for the first 8 minutes or so, coach Chris Mack said.Kaiser Gates hit three of Xaviers seven 3s during the spurt and finished with a season-high 12 points . Gates, a sophomore forward, had knee surgery beforee the start of the season and missed the first five games.dddddddddddd Hes struggled to get back in form, making only 4 of 17 from behind the arc before Tuesday night.Overall Id say its the best Ive felt, Gates said. I felt a lot more loose than usual, a little more bouncy.BIG PICTUREEastern Washington: The Eagles are 1-24 all-time against ranked teams, including losses this season to Texas and Xavier. Their only win over a ranked team was 68-67 over No. 10 Saint Josephs on Nov. 15, 2001.Xavier: Sumner showed no problems handling the ball despite the sore finger. He made all of his four shots in the first half -- two from beyond the arc -- and two free throws.POLL IMPLICATIONSAfter consecutive road losses to Baylor and Colorado dropped them out of the Top 10, the Musketeers have stabilized with their three straight wins.VON HOFE HURTVon Hofe, who is Eastern Washingtons top 3-point shooter, hurt his left shoulder while going for a loose ball with 5:21 left in the game and went to the bench. He wore a sling at the end of the game. Von Hofe finished with nine points, going 3 of 10 from beyond the arc.OFF THE MARKEastern Washington came into the game making 81.8 percent from the free throw line, second nationally to Notre Dame, but went only 9 of 18 against Xavier.UP NEXTEastern Washington goes to Colorado on Thursday for the third of four straight road games. The Eagles finish their trip at Idaho on Dec. 30.Xavier opens Big East play against Providence at the Cintas Center on Dec. 28.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org ' ' '