Casey Kelly Pitches Against Dad's Team Dad Wins

Phillip Ervin's third home run of the season off Ray Black, leading off the 11th inning allowed the Reds to beat the San Francisco Giants 2-1.

It was Grateful Dead and family night at the ballpark with a game between the San Francisco Giants and the Reds.

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Music by Jerry Garcia's 70's band provided the soundtrack for the Friday Fireworks but a family dispute needed to be settled first.

Casey Kelly the son of the Reds' bench coach Pat Kelly started the game for the Giants.  Derek Rodriguez was supposed to make the start but the son of Hall of Fame catcher Ivan Rodriguez was injured by rushing onto the field to play peace maker in a fight against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday night.

Pat Kelly would be able to watch his son pitch from the Reds' bench.  For further irony, Pat Kelly, who had seven big league at bats, has been a coach and manager in the minor leagues, the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.  Kelly managed both Ivan and Derek Rodriguez in the Puerto Rican winter leagues.

The Reds got nine hits off Casey Kelly but just one run.  Billy Hamilton opened the game with a single but Kelly picked him off.  The Reds got two more hits in the first but stranded the runner.

Tucker Barnhart, making his first ever big league start at first base for the injured Joey Votto, hit a double to open the Reds' second inning.  Curt Casali, the catcher, singled to score Barnhart.  It gave the Reds' starter Anthony DeSclafani an early 1-0 lead.

"It was good.  After the first inning or two after I got comfortable over there," Barnhart said.  "It is interesting to feel fresh after an 11-inning game. I'm not used to that at all."

Kelly four more singles and a walk in his 4 1/3 innings of work but left with the game tied.

"Casey pitched a great pitched a good game.  He's new to it and they're trying to get him stretched out," Riggleman said.  "I know Pat (father Pat Kelly) is proud of him."

Now that it is over the nervous father could reflect on it.

"It was good. I enjoy watching him pitch," Pat Kelly said.  "I knew he was fighting out there a little bit command wise.  Considering he pitched a couple innings Wednesday, he did a nice job.  I think Boch (Giants manager Bruce Bochy) got him out of there at the right time.  He was up to 75 pitches and he wasn't getting his breaking ball over.  I thought Boch made a great move right there and bringing the guy (Reyes Moronia) to strike out the guys, worked out well."

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Casey Kelly was also the high school teammate of the Reds' Scooter Gennett for two years.

"He was really good," said Gennett, who played with Kelly at Sarasota High School.  "He could throw 95.  He played shortstop and I played second.  When he pitched I played shortstop."

DeSclafani pitched into the eighth.  He even struck out the last batter he faced but a wild pitch put runners on first and third after McCutchen singled and stole second with two outs.

He finished with 7 2/3 innings. DeSclafani allowed one run on six hits and a walk. It was his longest outing this season and the third in a row that he's pitched at least seven innings.

"I know, I'm capable of going seven or eight innings," DeSclafani said.  "I feel comfortable out there.  I'm focused on location."

"That was the best I've seen the ball come out of his hand since I've been here," Riggleman said. "He is getting sharper.  He pitched a great game."

Jim Riggleman called for Jared Hughes to pitch to Buster Posey.  The move worked Posey cooperated with a ground ball to Peraza at shortstop.

Reyes Moronia, Mark Melancon, a former Pirates,  Tony Watson, another former Pirate and Sam Dyson shut out the Reds over 4 2/3 innings.

Hughes and Raisel Iglesias stifled the Giants to send the game to the 10th inning.

The Reds lost three video challenges in the game.  Jose Peraza was called out stealing in the fifth inning, the Reds' challenged and lost.  Mason Williams was ruled safe on close play at first in the eighth.  The Giants challenged and won.

Gorkys Hernandez appeared to hit into a double play to end the 10th.  The Giants challenged and won again. The tide appeared to be turning in favor of the Giants after the reprieve McCutchen hit his third single, sending Hernandez to third but Iglesias rose to the challenge and struck out Alen Hanson swinging to complete his second scoreless inning.

Ray Black came in to pitch for the Giants in the 10th and struck out the side.

David Hernandez entered to pitch for the Reds in the 11th and got the win to improve to 5-0.

Ervin's homer was his first walk off hit in the Major Leagues.

"It is a great feeling.  It was fun.  I'm excited," said Ervin, who recalled his last such heroic event was against Auburn in his sophomore year at Samford University.