Pinch runner Mark Kolozsvary scored on a balk by Matt Wisler to send the Reds to a 2-1 extra inning win over the Tampa Bay Rays.
Matt Wisler started the 10th on the mound for the Rays. Nick Senzel bunted the winning run to third. Almora Jr. walked. Tyler Naquin was sent to pinch hit for Michael Papierski. Before a 1-2 pitch to Naquin, home plate umpire Edwin Moscoso called Wisler for a balk. He said Wisler flinched after coming to a set position.
"I didn't see the balk at all but we'll take it," David Bell said. "I'd rather think about getting to that point. So many good things happened. We played a great game to be able to be in the position to win it."
When the Rays failed to score in the 10th it Bell turned to a different strategy. Senzel is one of the Reds' hottest hitters but he elected to have him bunt the runner to third.
"Clearly one run wins the game. Nick's been swinging the bat well. It's not like it's an easy decision," Bell said. "I trust his athletic ability and his level on the baseball field to be able to do it. I can't remember the last time he did it. (it was his first career sacrifice). It was a perfect bunt. He made the third baseman field it. It looked like he does it all the time. I felt great about getting the runner to third base with the guys we had coming up. Albert had a really incredible and tough at bat. There were a lot of great sliders he laid off of."
The Reds were tasked with facing one of he toughest pitchers in baseball, Shane McClanahan, who came into the game at 9-3 with a tiny 1.74 ERA. He is a hard thrower with plenty of command. He averages 98.6 MPH on his fastball. He walked 17 batters in 98 1/3 innings while striking out 133.
His mound opponent Luis Castillo has been outstanding in his last four starts. He had quality starts in three of the last four and pitched seven innings in two of them.
""If there are a better couple of pitchers in baseball, I don't know who they are. We're just more familiar with Luis," Bell said
Brandon Drury hit a solo home run on a 3-0 pitch, his career-high 18th home run off McClanahan to tie the score in the third inning. Mike Papierski singled to start the inning but Jonathan India rolled into a double play to clear the bases in front of Drury's bomb.
"I just thought it was my best chance to get a fastball," said Drury, who had another home run on a 3-0 pitch earlier in the season.
McClanahan retired the last 10 batters he faced to finish with six innings. He allowed three hits and two walks with the lone run, striking out eight.
Castillo was with him pitch for pitch. After Choi's single, Castillo retired 13 of the last 14 he faced to finish with seveddsn innings. He allowed one run on four hits and a walk. He struck out eight. Castillo dropped his ERA under three to 2.94.
The Reds put two runners on with one out against Colin Poche. Matt Reynolds walked and Nick Senzel singled, his second hit. Albert Almora Jr.'s slow ground ball to short was turned into a force of Reynolds at third. It would have been a tough play to get Almora at first. Papierski lined out to center to end the threat.
Alexis Diaz, fresh off the injured list from a sore shoulder, relieved Castillo. He walked Franco but struck out three to post a scoreless inning.
Ryan Thompson retired the Reds in order in the eighth.
Hunter Strickland got into trouble with a pair of two-out walks to Kevin Kiermaier and Isaac Raredes before he retired pinch hitter Francisco Mejia on a routine fly to right.
Jason Adam was chosen to pitch the ninth but Ray's manager Kevin Cash. The Reds were looking for their third walk off win on the homestand. Adam got a double play ball from Donovan Solano to send the game to the 10th.
Joe Kuhnel was entrusted with the tie game in the 10th with Mejia the ghost runner at second. Josh Lowe singled to right but Almora got to it quickly and Mejia held third. Yandy Diaz hit a slow roller to Kyle Farmer at shortstop. He threw home to nip Mejia. The Rays challenged that catcher Papierski was illegally blocking the plate. The Rays lost the challenge. Franco hit a soft line drive right at second base. Farmer caught it in stride and stepped on second to double Lowe.
"You can strategize all you want, get the guys in the right position but it really comes down to players making plays," Bell said. "That is a very difficult play. Farmer has to read the situation. We put him in a situation where it is all on him to read the play. In some ways that play really won the game."
Farmer had to make a quick decision and Papierski had to make a good tag with Mejia bearing down on him.
"Its a play that we have in our repitoire where it is in between double play depth and infield in," Farmer said. "If it is hit softly, I go home and if it's hit hard I turn two. I just read it well and Pap made a good tag at home. Once I saw him (Diaz) get jammed, I just went home. It was a do or die play."
The rule on a catcher blocking the plate is relatively new and murky at best.
"About blocking the plate. It is a rule. Plays to the plate on balls to the infield is a little more lenient, I believe, because the catcher really doesn't have anywhere to go," Bell explained.
Kolozsvary is a catcher by trade and had this explanation.
"It is really kind of a judgement call right there," Kolozsvary said. "As a catcher, you're always taught to get out in front of the plate and when the ball's coming drop back. I think he did it perfectly and made a nice play on it."
No comments:
Post a Comment