The St, Louis Cardinals turned a 7-0 rout into a 12-11 win, ruining the debut of the Reds' newest player.
Ryan Lavarnway was out of baseball for a few hours. The New York Yankees released him off the Scranton-Wilkes Barre roster. The Reds, who were ravaged by injuries to all three catchers, signed him to share duties with Juan Graterol until Curt Casalli or Kyle Farmer return.
All the 31-year old Woodland Hills, California and Yale graduate made an instant impression. He hit hit an RBI double and his first home run since 2015 off Adam Wainwright. He hit his second home run off Dominic Leone. It was his second multi homer game. He hit two for the Boston Red Sox on September 27, 2011 against the Baltimore Orioles. Six RBI are his career high.
Tyler Mahle shut down the Cardinals as the Reds had their way with Wainwright, the Cardinals ace. For some reason or another, the Reds have never feared Wainwright. He is 9-12 with his last win coming in September 2016. His ERA ballooned to 5.31 in his rivalry with the Reds.
The Reds were quiet in the first two innings but got loud in the third inning. Mahle singled to open the inning. Lavarnway doubled to the gap in left center. Mahle scored from first. Joey Votto doubled to score Lavarnway. Jose Peraza, who replaced the ejected Eugenio Suarez, singled to score Votto and took second on the throw. Yasiel Puig's single drove Peraza home.
Mahle escaped a jam in the top of the fourth. Jose Martinez walked leading off the inning. Paul Goldschmidt singled.
The Reds piled on Wainwright.
Jose Iglesias hit a one-out single. The Reds pulled a hit and run with Mahle batting singled through the vacated shortstop position with Iglesias taking third. Lavarnay hit a three-run home run into the Reds' bullpen in right.
Suarez struck out in the first inning and expressed displeasure with home plate umpire, Carlos Torres call as he was taking his position to start the second. David Bell followed Suarez to the showers, defending his third baseman for his seventh ejection of the season.
The Cardinals came roaring back in the sixth against Mahle and two relievers.
Harrison Bader singled to start the problems. Tommy Edman followed suit. Scooter Gennett dived to field a ground ball by Jose Martinez, who beat the throw to load the bases. Goldschmidt hit a sacrifice fly. Tyler O'Neil singled to score a run. Yairo Munoz singled to load the bases. Iglesias athletic flip to second base was late. Kolten Wong hit a sacrifice fly to plate the third run. Puig failed to hit the cutoff man trying to throw Fowler out going to third. It was key when Paul DeJong doubled past Peraza at third. Jared Hughes replaced Bowman. Andrew Knizner, replacing the injured Yadier Molina, doubled to make it a one-run game. Bader walked. The Cardinals tied the game when Votto booted the would be third out ground ball by Edman. Martinez drilled his ninth home run to put the Cardinals in front 10-7.
"It was a step in the right direction," Mahle said. "Even with 5-1/3 and four runs, it's the best I felt stuff wise. I am going to keep on getting better. We had a couple chances on close plays to get out of the inning. That's baseball. It's crazy."
Bell felt helpless watching from the clubhouse.
"A lot of things didn't go right," Bell said. "It was unfortunate. We had a nice lead. When you're on the field or on TV, it's tough to watch that. As confident as you are as a Major League player, when things start going like that. It can really spiral. Even the greatest players get on your heals a little tbit. We can see that happen and it was hard to watch for our guys."
DeJong hit his second home run of the series and 15th of the season off Robert Stephenson. Stephenson walked Wong with two outs in front of DeJong.
Josh VanMeter singled to open the eighth against Leone and Lavarnway crushed his second homer ot the game. Andrew Miller replaced Leone and walked Jessee Winker. Votto and Puig struck out.
Jimmy Herget, who had an awful Reds' debut pitched two scoreless innings.
Carlos Martinez entered the game for the Cardinals in the ninth. Martinez fanned the first two batters but Derek Dietrich doubled and VanMeter walked to bring up Lavarnway as the tying run. The drama rose as the count went to 3-2. Lavarnway took ball four to load the bases. Winker singled home two runs to cut the margin to one. Martinez got ahead of Votto 0-2. Votto bounced out to first to end the game.
"We made a run there at the end but we had a big lead," David Bell said. "It was just a tough day. It's unfortunate we had a big lead. They can hurt a little more. It was a game we felt like we should have won."
David Bell
"We knew that Lavarnway can hit. I've seen him over the years. It is a big deal to get the opportunity and have a big game. We're really happy for him."
Tyler Mahle
Tweaked his hamstring but he's ok.
Jared Hughes
"We did see it coming. We are prepared. I had to execute pitches and get ahead in the count. I threw a four seam by him earlier in the count. I thought I could get it by him again. I have to put that in my memory bank. I might have to face him tomorrow and get a ground ball."
Ryan Lavarnway
"It was fun wasn't it. I was thrilled. I was trying to make a good first impression. I'm pretty excited about it."
"It would have been cool to hit another one in the ninth inning."
"I was just enjoying it. I've been up and down so many times. You never know when it's going to be your last one. Earlier in my career I didn't let myself enjoy the highs. I tried to be stoic. I tried to be Jason Varitek. I'm like a cat with nine lives right now. I'm grateful for the opportunity."
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