Dateline: Cincinnati
Blake Dunn is making the most of his opportunities this time around. With the winning run on third base and one out. Dunn stayed with his approach and put the ball in play. With five infielders crowding him he made enough contact to allow Spencer Steer to score the winning run in a 7-6 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in 11 innings.
"I'm just trying to keep the approach the same and trying to work through the middle of the field. With the five infielders, ideally you'd like to get it in the air but for me. I'm just trying to keep it simple; keep it the same. When I work in the big part of the field, the middle of the field good things usually happen," Dunn said.
That guy (Riley O'Brien) has really been tough on righties and Dunn did enough. Steer did a really good job. He was heads up. He was ready for a bunt, so he was already thinking go," Terry Francona said.
Chase Petty had a quick first inning with three fly ours. Petty was in this situation 13 months ago, facing the St. Louis Cardinals in the second game of a doubleheader caused by rain. He gave up nine runs in that one. This was different.
"I thought he (Petty) was very good." Francona said.
He walked Jordan Walker to start the second inning. Nolan Gorman singled up the middle sending Walker to third. Masyn Winn lined out to TJ Friedl in left to score Walker. Brayan Torres single but Pedro Pages popped to short and Matt McLain saved a run by making a leaping catch of Victor Scott II's lined drive.
The Reds threatened Cardinals' starter Kyle Leahy in the fourth inning. Sal Stewart walked and Nathaniel Lowe singled. Right fielder Jordan Walker saved a run by making a diving stop on Lowe's single. It would have scored Stewart if it got by him. The runners moved up on a wild pitch to put runners on second and third with one out but McLain and Will Benson struck out.
The Reds exploded in the bottom of the fifth. PJ Higgins singled to start the inning. Friedl bunted him to second. Blake Dunn's second single of the game sent Higgins to third. Elly De La Cruz crushed a three-run home run into the left field stands. It was his 12th of the season, tying him with Stewart for the team lead. Stewart was called out on a 3-2 pitch but Stewart got John Trumpana's call overturned to draw a walk. Lowe hit his eighth home run of the season to build a 5-1 lead.
Petty got in trouble right away in the top of the sixth. He hit Ivan Herrera with a pitch to start the inning. Alec Burleson doubled to the right field corner. Walker hit his 15th home run of the season into the Reds bullpen in left center. Brock Burke replaced Petty. Burke put a two out runner on with a walk but got out of the inning.
"He was at 55 pitches going out for the first pitch. He hits a guy with a breaking pitch, then there's a seeing eye single, and Walker. We have to figure something out with him. He's swinging the bat pretty good," Francona said. "I thought he was very good. He had some short innings. We had Burke up. He gave up three runs real quick. It was time to get somebody else."
Petty pitched five innings, allowing four runs on six hits. He walked one and hit a batter. He struck out one.
"I was more worried about that sixth inning," Petty said. "The boys give me a big lead there. I wanted to shut things down and that happened. I have stuff to work on. I'll come back better. It was just the free bags. I give up that hit by pitch on the first pitch. The next pitch was a double. Jordan Walker, man, he's got my number. The last two years, he's kind of had me. I'm looking at his game plan. He's going to be my guy the next time I've got him."
"Me and my wife were talking, like the parallels of last year. The rain out against St. Louis the second game of a doubleheader. 7:00 start. But we're so much more calm this time. We've been here before so I did my best. It was just that sixth inning. We'll go back to the drawing board and we'll be better," Petty said.
"It was a learning experience too. When we got the lead it looked like he wasn't being as aggressive," Francona said.
The Reds faced left hander Justin Bruihl to start the sixth. Spencer Steer hit a pinch hit double to start off. Higgins bunted him to third. Pinch hitter Dane Myers doubled to the left center field gap to score Steer.
Gordon Graceffo replaced Bruihl.
Dunn struck out looking. De La Cruz walked. JJ Bleday grounded to first base.
Burke retired the first batter in the seventh but walked JJ Wetherholt.
Graham Ashcraft replaced Burke. Herrera grounded a hit and run single to right putting runners at the corner with one out but Ashcraft got a pop out from Burleson and struck out Walker.
Tony Santillan entered in the ninth to close it out. Pinch hitter Jose Fermin hit his second home run of the season on an 0-2 pitch to lead off the ninth. Scott II walked. Wetherholt flied out to right and Herrera was called out on strikes. Walker grounded a single to left to tie the game. Nolan Gorman flied out to left.
JoJo Romero, a left hander, started the ninth for St. Louis.
De La Cruz singled with one out in the ninth. De La Cruz was called out stealing second but the Reds challenged. The call was confirmed. Bleday struck out.
Pierce Johnson started the 10th with Gorman on second. Thomas Saggese ran for Gorman. Winn grounded out to Stewart at third. Saggese went to third. Torres grounded to first and Lowe threw home to catch Saggese. The Cardinals challenged but the call was confirmed. Pozo popped up to first base.
Romero stayed in to face Stewart with Bleday on second as the ghost runner. Cardinal manager Ollie Mormol walkde Stewart intentionally. Eugenio Suarez pinch hit for Lowe. Riley O'Brien relieved Romero. Suarez was reinstated from the injured list on Friday. Suarez struck out. McLain grounded out back to the pitcher. The runners moved up bringing Steer to the plate. Steer struck out swinging on a 3-2 pitch.
Pozo was the runner on second to start the 11th. Scott II struck out on a check swing. Wetherholt grounded out to first. Pozo moved to third. Dunn made a sliding catch to retire Herrera in right field.
Steer started at second base in the bottom of the inning. Higgins bunted Steer to third. The Cardinals put five infielders in and played in, leaving left field abandoned. Myers walked on four pitches. Steer scored on a fielder's choice. The Cardinals challenged the safe call but it was upheld for the Reds win.
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