"Best night of my career."

Those were the words of A.J. Burnett after his final regular-season start Saturday, a game the Pirates lost 3-1 to the Reds. Burnett pitched 62/3 innings and allowed three runs, striking out nine.

Burnett passed Christy Mathewson for 31st on the all-time list. He finished with 2,513 career strikeouts.

’That’s a big name,“ Burnett said. ”It feels like, like I said, I’m old and I pitched a long time.“

Burnett said he got choked up in the dugout and pitching coach Ray Searage almost had him bawling. He was disappointed the Pirates lost but appreciative of the support he received, especially during his curtain call.

”Going back out there, you can ask me a million times what it’s like, but I can’t tell you, man,“ he said.

He gave the Pirates a chance to win, not shaking Francisco Cervelli after shaking too often in the first.

”Once I settled down after the first tonight, you saw that I had a little bit left,“ he said. ”One ball got over the middle late the game but to be able to go out there and get some swings and misses and jump up that list again, it’s not going to sink in for a while.“

Burnett left after a walk in the seventh. The crowd cheered as Burnett waved, then acknowledged the Reds’ dugout.

”It was extremely loud, one of the loudest moments I can remember here,“ said Jared Hughes, who was sprinting in from the bullpen and replaced Burnett. ”It was hard not to hear ’A-J, A-J.’“

But the Pirates did lose, unable to solve Brandon Finnegan or the Reds’ bullpen. They have to beat the Reds today or hope the Cubs, who have won seven in a row, lose to the Brewers.

”We got to come out, we got to score some runs, and try to get them down early and lock it down,“ Neil Walker said.

”In my mind, we ain’t done yet,“ Burnett said. ”We got a horse going up in a couple days against Chicago, and get me another start.“

Game story: Burnett caps 17-year career with final regular-season start.

Notebook: Cole named wild-card starter.

Sunday On the Pirates: Stephen J. Nesbitt traces the story of Cole’s ace status.