The Reds Catch The Tigers By The Tail

The Reds and Mat Latos started fast but gasped for breath at the end.  Latos couldn't 'hold that Tiger". But seldom used Wilson Valdez came in an grabbed the Tigers by the tail, in a 10-inning, 6-5 win.

Valdez pinch hitting for winning pitcher Sam LeCure bunted to score Miguel Cairo as Dusty Baker's bench which has been criticized for lack of production came through.

"It's a matter of getting some playing time," Baker said.  "What a game.  We had guys on third and didn't get them in. That's going to haunt us sometimes."

Cairo, who started in place of Todd Frazier, led off the 10th with a triple.  He hit a ball of losing pitcher Phil Coke that rattled around.  Young had trouble finding the handle and it set the Reds up nicely.  Coke got Ryan Hanigan to bounce out to a drawn in, Miguel Cabrera at third base.

Valdez bunted the ball down the first base line. Cairo made sure it was down before he took off and beat Prince Fielder's throw to the plate.

"It was great execution.  Valdez knows how to play baseball.  His average isn't indicative of how much he contributes.  He works on it.  He's good at it.  He's confident about it.  That was outstanding judgement by Miggy (Cairo) on knowing when to run and a great slide at home plate," Baker said.

The Tigers knew the squeeze was a possibility.

"I didn't call a pitch out obviously.  It was a safety squeeze, rather than an all out squeeze," Leyland said.  "Prince made a pretty good play on it.  He was just a little late.  It was a good call and they executed it well. You have to give them (Reds) credit."

The Reds jumped on Tiger starter Rick Porcello for a quick run in the first inning. Zack Cozart singled and went to third on Joey Votto's single.  Brandon Phillips slow roller that Porcello dived for and threw past catcher  Gerald Laird.  That put runners on first and third but Porcello escaped with no further damage.

Votto, who had three hits to improve his average to a hot .360, hit a long home run after Cozart and Chris Heisey opened the third with singles.  Heisey broke an 0-for-12 slump with his hit.

The cornered Tigers roared back.

Brennan Boesch hit a Latos pitch into the right field bleachers to open the fourth.  Detroit rallied in the sixth and threatened to grab the game by the neck.  Pinch hitter, Matt Young, doubled.  Latos hit Quintin Berry with a pitch.  Boesch singled, the second of his three hits to load the bases.  Miguel Cabrera singled to pull Detroit to within a run, leaving runners on first and second with no outs with Fielder and Delmon Young coming up.  Latos closed the inning with the lead intact.

The Tigers got even in the seventh.  Ramon Santiago, who made to great stops at second base, singled off Latos to start the inning.  Latos struck out Matt Young but Santiago was running.  Ryan Hanigan's throw was in plenty of time but skipped past Cozart.  Santiago went to third. Boesch singled him home to tie the game.

Delmon Young hit his fifth home run of the season off Jose Arredondo in the eighth inning to put the Detroit Tigers in front of the Reds for the first time.

With Porcello finished Jim Leyland had to depend on a depleted bullpen.  Joaquin Benoit was not available. Neither was Octavio Dotel.  Benoit was overworked and Dotel had inflammation in his elbow.

Leyland was forced to use rookie Jose Ortega making his major league debut in place of  Dotel after Cairo opened the eighth with a single.  Hanigan bunted Cairo to second.  Todd Frazier, who was a late scratch with back spasms, dragged his aching back to the plate to face the rookie.

Frazier, who is now 6-for-7 as a pinch hitter tied the game with a double.

Heisey's second hit, an infield hit, put runners at first and third with two outs.

Lefthander, Coke struck Votto out and when neither team could threaten in the ninth, the Reds went to the 10th inning for the second straight day.   This time with a happy ending as they mobbed Valdez.

"It was big the way we won the game after losing last night," Baker said.