Strategic Walks Overlooked But Key To Reds' Win

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

In the Reds 6-5 win over the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday (June 17).

Gavin Lux didn’t get a hit but walked three times. The first one in the fourth inning led to a four-run inning. His other two walks allowed Reds’ star Elly De La Cruz another chance to hit.

Lux walked 31 times this season in 65 games. He is third behind TJ Friel and Elly De La Cruz with 38 and 34 respectively. Lux is second on the team with a .370 on-base-percentage to Friedl’s .381 which are Joey Votto numbers.

On the other side of the equation, Reds’ closer Emilio Pagan had a runner on first and two outs but walked Byron Buxton, the Twins’ best hitter, who had already homered in the game.

On deck was Christian Vazquez, a .188 hitter, who was in the game because starting catcher Ryan Jeffers was taken out of the game with a contusion.

The Twins already emptied their bench. They couldn’t pinch hit and he was the only catcher left.

Pagan walked Buxton on four pitches. The conventional wisdom is never put the winning run on first base.

“I got to play with Bux for two years. I wish the situation was a little different so I could challenge him a little bit better,” Pagan said. “But yeah, a one-run game. He already hit a homer. I was trying to execute a few pitches. I threw two heaters up under his hands. He laid off both of them. After that I was content with throwing two sliders below the zone and moving on to the next guy.”

Pagan struck out Vazquez to earn his 17th save in 19 chances.

Manager Terry Francona was happy with Lux’ and Pagan’s performance after winning the game.

“I think they are a little different,” Francona said. “Lux had really good at bats. He took those 3-2 change ups like a good hitter. I think with Pagan he was fighting it a little bit with Bader (Harrison Bader walked with one out and represented the tying run). He yanked a couple (out of the strike zone) But then with Buxton, I think it is a little different case. You're not sure you really want to let him reach one. I know it kind of goes against the baseball…..but they had to take their catcher out. You’d rather that than have him hit one 400 feet.”