TJ Friedl drove in Jonathan India in the ninth inning to snap the Reds six game losing streak in a 7-6 walk off win. Friedl tried to bunt India to second but a wild pitch took care of that.
Now the goal was to get him to third but Friedl skipped a step and lined a 3-2 pitch to right centerfield.
"At first I was just trying to get Jon to second," Friedl said. "Then I was trying to get him to third. I kind of pulled off. I trust my bunting. But I'm comfortable pulling the ball when he was on second. Smith is a heavy slider guy I knew I had a good chance to pull it."
Texas sent in Smith for the lefty-lefty matchup.
"I've been a lot more comfortable hitting off lefties the last couple years. I made some adjustments matching the plane," Friedl said. "I can pick the ball up better and with my bunting it helps a lot."
Nick Lodolo had his second straight poor start of the season in the series opening game against the Texas Rangers at Great American Ball Park.
Josh Jung hit two home runs off Lodolo and drove in three as they tagged Lodolo for six runs on nine hits in four innings.
The Reds' left hander started strong, striking out all three Rangers' batters looking in the first inning. After he struck out he American League Player of the Week, Adolis Garcia to open the second inning. Jung hit his fourth home run of the season into the left field stands.
It erased the Reds' 1-0 lead. Jonathan India led off the game against Nathan Eovaldi with a double that left fielder Bubba Thompson lost the ball in the evening sun. India took third on a wild pitch but Eovaldi struck out TJ Friedl and Jake Fraley but Tyler Stephenson hit a slow roller to Jung at third. The throw eluded Nathaniel Lowe at first base. Originally, ruled a hit but later changed to an error.
Ezequiel Duran and Leody Taveras doubled. Thompson and Marcus Semien singled off Lodolo to put Texas up 3-1. Jung's second home run of the game followed Garcia's single to expand the Ranger's lead.
Jose Barrero made a diving stop and turned it into an inning ending double play.
The Reds came back in the third.
India walked and Eovaldi hit Friedl with a pitch. Spencer Steer drilled a triple over Taveras head in center. He scored on a ground out by Stephenson.
"It was great to see some balls fall," Steer said. "That's been the story lately. Even when we have hit the balls hard, they were catching them. I hit the triple well. I knew I had to run my butt off. I saw he almost caught it. I didn't realize it was that close. I honestly thought I hit it better. We've been going through a tough stretch. Tonight even though it was 5-1, the energy was still there."
Dane Dunning relieved Eovaldi for Texas. Eovaldi pitched six innings, allowing runs, three earned on six hits.
Buck Farmer, Ian Gibaut and Lucas Sims retired ten batters in a row to keep the Reds close.
The Reds loaded the bases with two outs against Dunning in the eighth. Jose Leclerc came in to pitch to switch hitting, Henry Ramos, who joined the Reds before the game. Ramos, the former Ranger walked to force in the Reds' fifth run. Senzel walked to tie the game. Barrero struck out on a checked swing to take the tie game to the ninth.
Leclerc walked three of the four batters he faced forcing home both of the Reds' eighth inning runs. He was just missing but Wil Myers, Ramos and Senzel waited him out after Steer's single with one out got the rally started.
"I don't know how they do it," David Bell said. "Taking pitches that close. There were some incredible at bats, Ramos, Senzel, Myers. That plate discipline has been a strength of ours and it showed up tonight."
During the losing streak the Reds failed to score in three of them. They totaled six runs and did not hit a home run. The stretch of homerless games expanded to seven tonight. The last time the Reds played seven games without a home run was April 21-27, 2014.
"Especially with what we've been going through, It says a lot about those guys. It starts with being ready to hit and trusting it," Bell said.
"We're not trying to do whatever it needs but not trying to do everything. I was looking for a strike and he didn't throw one. I was looking for a fastball right there. I don't remember facing him before," Ramos said through interpreter Jorge Merlot.
Alexis Diaz started the ninth for the Reds to earn the win. The Reds' bullpen retired the last 13 batters and 15 of the last 16.
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