Will Benson hit his sixth home run of the season to give the Reds a 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants
The win snapped the Giants winning streak at seven and the Reds' losing streak at six.
"It's awesome," Benson said. "The main thing is the win. Whether it is my hit or anybody's hit as long as we got the win that's the only thing that's important. It's cool to be a part of. You never know who it is going to be."
Benson followed sharp singles by Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Tyler Stephenson with an opposite field blast to left centerfield off Ross Stripling.
"Yeah of course (satisfaction from hitting the ball the other way) In my book that's the sweetest home run, you can hit," Benson said. "As a lefty hitting a line drive on the back side it is as good a swing as you can get. Yes I'm happy for the home run but am a little bit happier it was the other way."
Graham Ashcraft brought the Giants down to size with a strong start besides a temporary loss of control. Ashcraft hit David Villar to open the fifth inning and walked the eight and nine hole hitters before he, Encarnacion-Strand and Elly De la Cruz turned in a 3-6-1 double play.
Blake Sabol hit his 11th home run off the top of the left field wall leading off the seventh inning. Ian Gibaut relieved Ashcraft.
Ashcraft allowed two earned runs in six plus innings with five hits, two walks and three strike outs. It was his fourth straight quality start of six innings or more and three runs or fewer.
"It is similar to what I've been saying," Ashcraft said. "It has been finding that rhythm and getting in it. In the fifth and sixth there were some at bats I got away and started thinking a little bit too much like trying to figure out what's going on. When in reality I didn't need to sit and think about it I just needed to go out attack the zone. Once I got back in that mentality the mechanics kind of fell in line."
His start allowed to Reds to limit the use of the bullpen which has been strapped by rain and extra inning games.
"We needed it. He came through with a good start, David Bell said. "He had really good stuff. I think the key was getting out of a couple jams. There were some good plays but Graham made good pitches. He did his job for sure."
Lucas Sims pitched a scoreless eighth.
Walker retired all six Reds' batters he faced. The Reds were retired in order seven times in the first eight innings. They had all four hits and scored all three runs in the third inning.
All-Star Alexis Diaz earned his 27th save by striking out two in a perfect ninth.
The Reds entire infield were rookies.
"It hit me tonight," Bell said. "We have some younger players. I don't think, I think about it that way because of the way they're handling everything. They're not playing like first year players. The development process in our system to get to this point to not really think about how young they are. It's not only exciting for the future but for the now where they are in the process already."
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