The game between the Reds and San Diego Padres started early to avoid a conflict with a big Taylor Swift concert at Paul Brown Stadium.
Reds' hero of the day, Spencer Steer, did not know about Swift's hit song titles, "Shake It Off, End Game or Bye Bye Baby but the title at least applied to the Reds walk off, 7-5 win.
The Padres came into the game with the Reds with five straight losses. Elly De la Cruz doubled home Jonathan India and Steer homered to hand the Reds' a third straight win.
Kevin Newman bunted De la Cruz to third. De la Cruz was out at the plate.on a ground ball to shortstop. He beat the throw but his hand hit the catchers foot and not home plate. The Reds had it reviewed. Steer was unfazed and launched his 13th home run off Drew Carlton and the Reds walked off with their 30th come-from-behind win of the season.
"It was pretty cool that it worked out there," Steer said without with a calm demeanor. "We think we have a win and then the call doesn't go our way. I know I kind of said one of those moments. Make something happen here. It was a weird situations. I probably won't have another one in my career. You wait to see what happens. Me and Steve (Stephenson) were talking. If the call gets overturned, it is going to be the weirdest walk off we've ever been a part of. If is doesn't, so what, just try to get another one."
"The belief in the dugout and the clubhouse, it could be anyone. We saw three guys come off the bench and have good at bats too."
It was the second time in extra innings the Reds came back from a deficit.
Matt McLain hit a home run with two outs in the 10th to send the game to the 11th inning after the Padres tied the game in the ninth and took a two-run lead in the 10th.
"I was trying to get a pitch to hit," Mclain explained. "It was a fastball down the middle. I just hit it hard. I thought it was too low. It just kind of kept going."
"It says a lot about our character, (the three rookies De la Cruz, Steer and McLain). We're just trying to help our team win. Nothing more than that and nothing less than that. Each and every day, every at bat every pitch. It's a good feeling in the dugout. It's a freak thing.Elly clips his thing. It throws his hand off, whatever. We have Spencer up next. You know he's going to take swings in his zone. He's going to have a good at bat, no matter the outcome."
Fernando Tatis Jr. singled home Rougned Odor, the ghost runner, in the 10th inning. Juan Soto's third hit of the game scored Tatis Jr. from first base to add insurance it came in handy.
Matt McLain tied the game with his seventh home run with two outs in the bottom of the 10th.
San Diego starter, Seth Lugo, who worked out of the Mets' bullpen the last several years. Graham Ashcraft, who struggled before he spent 15 days on the injured list, started for the Reds.
Both were sharp.
The Reds had nothing to show for four singles in the first five innings. The Padres were scoreless in five innings on two singles.
Trent Grisham broke the ice with his eighth home run leading off the sixth inning.
The Reds took advantage of Grisham's error to get the run back. With two outs, Elly De la Cruz flied to left center. Grisham flat out dropped it for a two-base error. Jake Fraley drove him home with a single to center, his 50th RBI of the season.
Ashcraft got the first two outs in the seventh but walked Gary Sanchez, hitting .204 and Matt Carpenter, hitting .180. David Bell brought in Lucas Sims to pitch to Rougned Odor. Sims caught Odor looking at a called third strike.
Ashcraft pitched 6 2/3 innings, his longest outing since his first start of the season in which he pitched seven frames. He allowed one run on three hits.
Brent Honeywell came out of the Padres' bullpen in the seventh. Lugo completed six innings allowing one unearned run on five hits, no walks. He struck out six.
Spencer Steer walked to lead off the inning against Honeywell. The count against Tyler Stephenson went to 3-2. Steer was picked off first but on the 10th pitch of the at bat, Stephenson deposited his sixth home run of the season into the left field stands. Will Benson singled but TJ Friedl fouled off a two-strike bunt attempt for strike three. Benson became the second Reds' base runner to be picked off. This time by Nick Martinez.
Alexis Diaz relieved Sims to start the ninth. He came into the game with 22 saves in 22 attempts. Xander Bogaerts singled. Jake Cronenworth bunted Diaz couldn't throw him out at first base. It was scored a hit. Sanchez flied out to left and the runners moved up. Matt Carpenter hit a sacrifice fly to right to hand Diaz his first blown save. Odor popped out to first to end the inning.
"It was bound to happen at some point," David Bell said of his trusted closer, who had a string of 27 games saved, dating back to last season.
"I made my pitches. I threw strikes. I made all the pitches that I could but they made the at bats and brought the run in," Diaz said. "I always have the confidence in our team that they will come back and win the game. The rookies have changed the team so much."
San Diego brought Josh Hader into the game to start the ninth. Steer walked with two out. Stephenson struck out swinging.
The Reds went to extra innings for the second straight game. Ian Gibaut came in to pitch the 10th for the Reds.
Left hander Ray Kerr entered to start the 10th for the Padres. Stephenson was the ghost runner. Luke Maile batted for Benson. He grounded out to third base. Friedl popped up for the second out. Matt McLain tied the game with his seventh home run to straight away centerfield. Jonathan India flied out to left.
Alex Young came on in the 11th inning with Bogaerts on second as the ghost runner. Gary Sanchez singled to score Bogaarts.
The Reds gave up their designated hitter, moving De la Cruz to third.
Drew Carlton took the mound for San Diego in the 11th. India was on second. De la Cruz doubled to tie the game.
Bell, who grew up in a baseball family, where his grandfather, father and brother played for the Reds. He himself had a 12-year playing career and marvels at how this team has met every challenge.
"I haven't seen it (a team like this). What makes it different I think, it's one thing coming back but when you don't play a perfect game, like getting thrown out at the plate. It can really take the wind out of your sails. It just doesn't. You can't teach that. It is just what our players have become as a team," Bell said.
"There is no other group, I'd rather be around because of that toughness."
Good read as usual and glad you are up to date on Taylor Swift songs
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