Oscar Mercado singled with the bases loaded off Raisel Iglesias to give the Cleveland Indians a 2-1 walk off win in 10 innings. The loss prevented the Reds from escaping last place in the National League Central.
Iglesias walked Mike Freeman with one out in the bottom of the 10th. Leonys Martin the ninth batter in the order singled to center, sending Freeman to third. The Reds walked Francisco Lindor intentionally to load the bases. Mercado lined a 1-2 pitch to left to drive in Freeman with the winning run.
The Indians' Trevor Bauer and the Reds' Luis Castillo locked into a pitchers duel at Progressive Field in Cleveland.
The scoreless spell was broken by Carlos Santana's 12th home run of the season with out in the fourth inning against Castillo. It was the third hit of the night for the Indians. Tyler Naquin followed with a double and moved to third on a wild pitch but Castillo got a fly out to shallow right and a soft liner to Joey Votto at first base to end the inning.
Nick Senzel tied the game with a double that scored Tucker Barnhart, who singled to open the fifth inning. Joey Votto's bid for his second hit was turned into a double play when he lined out to Mike Freeman at second base, who wheeled and doubled Senzel off second base.
Castillo escaped a bases loaded jam in the sixth. Francisco Lindor hit his second double of the game leading off the inning. Oscar Mercado grounded out to Eugenio Suarez at third. Santana and Naquin walked to load the bases but Castillo struck out Jose Ramirez on a nine pitch at bat. Ramirez fouled off five straight pitches with two strikes on him before missing on the sixth pitch. Castillo froze Jake Bauer with a change up to strike him out looking to end the threat.
"He was tired and we had Lorenzen ready," Bell said. "He's shown that he's that kind of pitcher. He has the stuff to get out of innings like that. It is amazing watching him compete like that."
When Castillo issued the free past to Naquin to load the bases. He knew he had to reach back for something extra.
"I looked into the manager," Castillo said. "He was clapping his hands, saying let's go. I am happy he has the confidence in me to get out of the inning. I couldn't let him hit a fly ball. It would have scored a run. I was going after him, working on the strikeout. I think after the Ramirez at bat. I told myself the job isn't finished yet. I had to continue to focus."
Trevor Bauer made a similar escape in the seventh for Cleveland. Yasiel Puig hit a double that Mercado nearly caught. Iglesias walked with one out. Barnhart walked to load the bases. Senzel hit a soft checked swing one hopper to Bauer, who turned into a 1-2-3 double play.
"It was a well pitched game on both sides," Bell said. "Bauer was really good too. Castillo wants to be out there in those situations.
Michael Lorenzen relieved Castillo to start the seventh inning. He pitched a scoreless inning.
Bauer and two relievers got out of a two-out jam in the eighth. Dietrich walked with two outs. Oliver Perez came on to pitch with Jesse Winker due up. David Bell sent Kyle Farmer to hit for Winker. Farmer singled to the hole at shortstop. Lindor went to his knees but had no play. Nick Wittgren came in to pitch to Puig, who flied out deep to right.
David Hernandez started the eighth inning on the mound for the Reds.
Indian' closer Brad Hand pitched a scoreless ninth.
Hernandez struck out the side in the bottom of the ninth.
Hand turned the same trick, striking out Votto, Suarez and Dietrich in succession.
Raisel Iglesias started the 10th for the Reds after Hernandez' five strikeout performance.
The Reds started the game with a 29-35 record. Just ahead of them the Pirates are 30-35. A win coupled with a Pittsburgh loss would have put the Reds in fourth place with the final game of the road trip tomorrow at 1:10 pm. The Pirates were losing 7-5 in the top of the ninth to the Atlanta Braves but the game was in a delay.
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