Davis Schneider Home Run Evens Series With Between Blue Jays And Reds

Rookie Davis Schneider, who homered in his first Major League at bat on August 4, broke a 3-3 tie to stake the Toronto Blue Jays to a 4-3 win to even the series.

The Reds shutout the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday. Brandon Williamson extended the scoreless streak to 12 2/3 innings but Toronto used four singles and a walk with two outs to jump ahead, 3-0.

The Blue Jays loaded with legacies the sons of former Major League players ambushed Williamson with two outs. Cavan Biggio (father Craig Biggio) singled with two outs. Williamson got ahead of Santiago Espinal, a .218 hitter with two home runs, but walked him. Daulton Varsho (father Gary Varsho) singled to start the scoring. Whit Merrifield singled home Espinal. Bo Bichette (father Dante Bichette) singled plate Varsho. Williamson got Vladimir Guerrero (father Vladimir Guerrero Sr. and uncle Wilton Guerrero) grounded out to end the inning.

The lead lasted just three batters into the fourth inning.

After Chris Bassitt struck out five of the first nine batters that he retired in a row, TJ Friedl put his 11th home run into the right field seats. Matt McLain walked. Electric Elly De La Cruz turned on the crowd. He lined a 1-2 pitch on a line over the head of Biggio in right. The ball hit the base of the fence and bounded away from the right fielder. McLain raced home and De La Cruz turned on the after burners and rounded third. Biggio's throw trickled past the cutoff man and De La Cruz headed home, safe with a dive ahead of the throw.

"I was running hard to third base and once I saw that ball was in the middle of nowhere," De La Cruz said, through an interpreter. "I knew I had to run hard to get to home plate. I was looking to see if they were sending McLain home. When I saw that, I knew I had to go. Once I got to third base I knew I was going to be safe. Then I saw the ball get past Vlady Jr. and between the third baseman and the pitcher. So I knew I had to move quickly and take the chance."

Schneider hit his third home run in the fifth to put Toronto back in front.

Williamson got two outs in the top of the sixth. David Bell summoned Fernando Cruz to get the final out of the inning.

The Reds put two men on with one out against Trevor Richards in the seventh. Christian Encarnacion-Strand singled and Tyler Stephenson followed with another single. Toronto manager John Schneider chose Tim Mayza to face left handed hitting Will Benson. David Bell countered with switch hitter Henry Ramos, who hit a grounder to short but beat the relay to first base. Stuart Fairchild walked to load the bases. Friedl struck out swinging to end the threat.

Alex Young retired the Jays in order in the seventh.

Former Cardinal, Jordan Hicks entered in the bottom of the eighth. It was Hicks that gave up the game winning home run to Encarnacion-Strand in the Reds' 1-0 win on Friday.

Hicks held the lead into the ninth with two strike outs in a 1-2-3 inning.

Derek Law walked two batters but struck out three to send the game to the bottom of the ninth.

Jordan Romano with 29 saves in 32 chances came in to nail it down for Toronto. Joey Votto walked to open the ninth. Noelvi Marte made his big league debut as a pinch runner. Encarnacion-Strand singled to right. After Stephenson flied out to right, Marte and Encarnacion-Strand pulled a double steal. Ramos stepped into the batter's box. He struck out on three pitches. Fairchild grounded out weakly to third to end the game.

"It was a great play. We prepare before each series with all the information," David Bell said. "A lot of times we just give them the information and turn them loose to play the game and understand the situations. To get to be able to get to third base with less than two outs there are so many more ways to score a run. If he gets thrown out at third base you look at it like a tough play. At the same time, there is so much gain right there. In his first time ever in the big leagues, being the tying run, to have the courage to make a play like that is special. It is the sign of things to come."

Marte has jumped three levels this year since joining the Reds organization through the trade of Luis Castillo last July 29.

Kevin Newman strained his left oblique and the Reds chose to bring Marte to the big club, leaving Nick Senzel at Louisville.

"For me, I saw the opportunity to go. I saw how the pitcher was moving his leg. I knew I had the opp ortunity to get there," said Marte through an interpreter. "Before the game we went over the pitcher and what their movements were. I knew I had the chance to do something right there."