Encarnacion Strand Sends Elly De La Cruz Home To Beat Seattle.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand singled home Elly De La Cruz to send the Reds to a walk off 7-6 win over the Seattle Mariners.

With the nerve of a river boat gambler De La Cruz swung at a 3-0 pitch from the American League Relief Pitcher for the month of August, Andres Munoz. De La Cruz hit a slow ground ball to shortstop. J.P. Crawford fielded the ball moving toward the hole but had no chance to get the Reds' rookie. Encarnacion-Strand took to pitches for strikes as De La Cruz stole second. CES hit a hard ground ball past second baseman, Josh Rojas, who had to hold De La Cruz from taking a big lead.

"I already knew, De La Cruz said through an interpreter. "Those guys are going to try to throw me out but they don't have a chance. It doesn't matter. If they get me out 20 million times, I'm still going to be aggressive. I just know that I'm going to be better."

Julio Rodriguez third career multi-home run game, including a big three-run home run put the Mariners in charge, driving in four runs.

The Reds were frustrated by two runners thrown out stealing and two double plays that let Mariners' starter, Bryce Miller, survive five innings to attempt to earn his ninth win of the season.

The frustrated Reds broke through in the bottom of the eighth when Nick Martini belted a pinch hit home run into the right field seats with two runners on to tie the game.

"I wish there was a secret sauce," Martini said. "Pinch hitting is tough. I can't say it's the easiest thing to do. You just try to put a good at bat together and try to get the barrel on the ball. That's basically all I'm trying to do when I pinch hit. Fortunately, that one had enough on it to get up."

David Bell, who has been there and done that as a third generation baseball man, knows that there is injustice at times in the game but the journeyman Martini is making the most of his opportunity.

"He (Nick Martini) has earned this opportunity," Bell said. "Unfortunately, sometimes earn it but don't get the opportunity. It is so nice to see what he's doing with this opportunity and he's playing like he has nothing to lose. That's the idea for all of us. He's fit right in. He's extremely well liked."

Noelvi Marte reached base for the fourth time in the game with a walk off Justin Topa. Pinch hitter Tyler Stephenson singled through the hole at shortstop to set up Martini's fourth home run of the season and second career pinch hit home run. 

Teoscar Hernandez hit a two-run home run off Connor Phillips in the first inning. Phillips retired the first two hitters and had Cal Raleigh behind in the count 0-2 but ended up walking him. Hernandez extended his hitting streak to 14 game with his 25th home run of the season to straight away center field.

Phillips was traded to the Reds by the Mariners in the trade that sent Eugenio Suarez and Jesse Winker to Seattle. He is the sixth to make a start in their Major League debut.

In spite of allowing five runs in 4 2/3 innings in his debut, Phillips was impressive. Raleigh walked after taking a close two-strike pitch in front of Hernandez' home run.

"We were very happy, very impressed with Connor. He gave up a couple of home runs to some good hitters, hot hitters as well. The pitch to Hernandez was not a bad pitch. That inning could have gone different," Bell said. 

"Every single person here likes to win. I was attacking guys all night. I felt like I was in the zone," Phillips said. "The three-run home run to Julio. We can work around him and throw him a slider or go right at him. He won. It was electric out there. The fans were sick. I've never experienced anything like that. The adrenaline was running. Having the want to win and the will to win, is something I've never really felt."

The Reds scored just one run when six of seven batters had hits. 

In the second inning, De La Cruz opened with a single but was thrown out trying to steal. Encarnacion-Strand singled and Will Benson singled but Harrison Bader bounced into a double play.

Noelvi Marte singled to start the third inning but he was thrown out stealing. Luke Maile singled and scored on Jake Fraley's double into the right field corner.

Julio Rodriguez hit a three-run home run following singles by Josh Rojas and J.P. Crawford one out singles. It was the reigning American League Player of the Month's 26th home run of the season and second in the series. 

The Reds loaded the bases in the fifth. Marte hustled a infield ground ball into a double leading off. He went to third when Maile grounded out. Fraley and TJ Friedl were hit by pitches but Steer struck out and De La Cruz lined out to left. 

Encarnacion-Strand greeted Dominic Leone with his sixth home run of the season, leading off the sixth. Two outs later Marte hit his first career home run against the team that traded him for Luis Castillo. 

Rodriguez added his 27th home run off Derek Law in the seventh.