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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico
Will Benson's third hit of the game sent home Gavin Lux with the winning run in a walk off, 3-2 win over Wild Card rival, the San Diego Padres.
The Reds win the series 2-1 won and were 4-2 on the home stand. The Reds are once again at their high water mark four games over .500 at 44-40.
"Benson got us the win today. The plane ride (to Boston) will be a lot more fun," Terry Francona said. "Elly took such a nice swing. The ball down the line (foul) hooked but it was a great at bat. They've got some weapons."
Benson has played through struggles before and was grateful for the opportunity.
"I know he (Robert Suarez) throws hard. I was a little upset that I didn't take a pass at that first change up," Benson admitted . That might have been the best pitch (to hit) in the at bat. I just shook it off and maintained my aggression. I took some good fastballs that he threw and then another change up. I was able to capitalize on that one."
Francona's philosophy is to move forward whether the past results were good or bad. "You guys are probably tired of hearing me say that."
Benson insists that thought process is starting to sink in with the players.
"I believe so, that every one is buying in to that," Benson said. "That messaging for us is huge coming from him. I think we've been able to embody that as a team. I'm happy with how we respond."
Today Benson took that messaging to the pitch-to-pitch level.
"That is something, I'm trying to get better at," Benson said. "Especially when it gets to two strikes. Just being able to take a deep breath and go one pitch at a time. That's what we yell a lot in the dugout. Just win the next one. All it takes is one pitch. All you need is to win one and something can happen."
The Padres struck first in the fourth inning. Xander Bogaerts led off with his fifth home run of the season. Gavin Sheets singled to right and went to second on Will Benson's throwing error. Jose Iglesias bunted right back Nick Lodolo who threw Sheets out at third. Lodolo struck out Jake Cronenworth and Elias Diaz to escape the inning.
Stephen Kolek, the San Diego starter allowed a single and a walk to Spencer Steer in the first five innings.
Sheets and Iglesias started the sixth inning with singles. Cronenworth bunted them along one base. Reds' manager Terry Francona replaced Lodolo with Scott Barlow to face Elias Diaz with runners at second and third with one out. Diaz popped out to short right. Luis Arraez walked to load the bases with two outs. Manny Machado, who hit 12 grand slams in his career, popped out foul to the catcher Jose Trevino.
Lodolo pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing seven hits and two walks. He allowed one run, which dropped his season ERA to 3.52, and struck out five.
The Reds tied the game in the bottom of the sixth. Benson singled to start the inning. Matt McLain beat out an infield hit. Elly De La Cruz off Adrian Morejon and hit a ground ball past third baseman, Iglesias, for a run scoring single.
Lyon Richardson relieved Barlow to start the seventh inning. Jackson Merrill popped out to third. Fernando Tatis Jr. walked. Bogaerts hit a hard ground ball past CES at third base for his third extra base hit of the game, a double. Francona ordered Sheets intentionally, then brought in Tony Santillan. Iglesias forced Sheets at second as Tatis scored. Cronenworth flied out to center field to end the inning.
Benson greeted Jason Adam with a double to start the eighth. CES flied out to the warning track in center field, advancing Benson to third. Friedl grounded out to Arraez at first with the infield in. McLain struck out to end the inning.
"That kid Adam is as good against lefties as you'll find in the league," Francona said.
Emilio Pagan held the Padres to give the Reds a chance in the ninth.
Robert Suarez who leads the league with 22 saves faced De La Cruz to start the ninth, reaching on an error by third baseman, Tyler Wade (The scorer changed it to a single after the game). It was the climax of a 10-pitch at bat. Austin Hays flied out to left. Gavin Lux walked to put De La Cruz in scoring position. Steer, who extended his hitting streak to eight games, Steer drove in De La Cruz with a single to center to tie the game. Jose Trevino singled to right to load the bases with one out and Benson due up. Benson singled to give the Reds the win.
"There were a lot of good things that happened," Francona said. "We kind of bent a little bit but we didn't break and kept it where it was. So we had a chance. So often we think we just need to get the tying run to the plate to give ourselves a chance. It doesn't always work out but you have a chance."
Emilio Pagan, the winning pitcher, last pitched six days ago against the New York Yankees. Tony Santillan last pitched on Tuesday.
"It was hard. We were trying to balance it Francona explained. "Pagan and Santillan needed to pitch today. It's hard to bring them in when you're losing but they really needed to pitch. Tony ended up pretty good he finished an inning and got out of it. We really needed to pitch Pagan. We were fortunate this game didn't go a whole lot longer."
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