Pittsburgh Switches Pitchers : Baseball: Leyland will start Power in tonight’s playoff game because ‘the Reds are so tough against left-handers.’

CINCINNATI — Pittsburgh Manager Jim Leyland, in a last-hour decision, changed his starting pitcher for tonight’s National League playoff game against Cincinnati to right-hander Ted Power.

Left-hander Zane Smith was scheduled to start for the Pirates against Danny Jackson, and even appeared at a news conference Thursday night to talk about it.

The Reds, needing one more victory to go to the World Series, hit .280 against left-handers this season.

“I’m going with Ted Power because the Reds are so tough against left-handers,” Leyland said. “I can’t tell how long he will pitch.”

Power, a former Red, was 1-3 with a 3.66 earned run-average in 40 games. He did not make any starts.

Left-handers hit .164 against Smith but right-handers fared better with a .258 average.

There’s a good chance Smith might pitch in relief.

In seven previous starts against the Reds this season, Smith has given up 20 runs and 54 hits in 47 1/3 innings.

Smith was the losing pitcher in Game 3 when the Reds beat him 6-3 on a three-run homer by Mariano Duncan and a two-run shot by Billy Hatcher.

Smith made four starts against Cincinnati for Montreal, losing twice. After being acquired by the Pirates on Aug. 8, Smith was 2-0 in two starts against the Reds.

He was 6-2 in 10 starts for the Pirates, yielding only nine earned runs in 75 innings. But in Game 3, he gave up five runs in five innings.

“When you’re on a losing team you become a defensive pitcher,” Smith said. “I would have liked to have seen what I could have done with a full season with the Pirates.”

Scattered light rain was forecast for tonight, with less likelihood of a game-stopping heavy rain.

The Riverfront Stadium forecast included scattered light rain and drizzle, patchy fog and a temperature of 50 to 55 degrees.