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Reds 4 Yankees 3
Man, baseball sure is a funny game.
Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole flat out dominated the Reds over seven innings of shutout baseball and the Yankees took a 3-0 lead to the 9th inning.
With a 3-0 lead, Yankees manager Aaron Boone turned to closer Clay Holmes who entered having allowed 2 earned runs in 39.1 innings (0.46).
The Reds won the game with a four run 9th inning you'd have to see to believe. The Yankees had been 49-0 when leading after 8 innings.
The first five Reds batters reached in the 9th (Pham walk, Votto single, Stephenson HBP, Naquin RBI single, Farmer HBP) and Holmes left having not retired a batter and the Yankees lead at 3-2. Former Reds Wandy Peralta took over with the bases loaded and 0 outs. He got the first two outs, but Jonathan India looped a 2-out, 2-run single to give the Reds the lead 4-3. Alexis Diaz capped off four scoreless innings by four Reds relievers to record the save.
The game ended on a sweet double play turn from India to a spinning Farmer to Votto. The call of safe at 1st base was overturned. Ball game.
Traffic cop: Ashcraft had to deal with a lot of traffic, allowing 10 baserunners, including walking a season high three batters. He was in early trouble when the Yankees plated two runs in the 1st inning. The third run he allowed was a gift from his defense on a play Nick Senzel couldn't make in center field. All things considered, his line wasn't that bad: 5 IN, 7 H, 3 R, 3 BB, 3 K. 106 pitches/64 strikes.
Cole in control: He was rarely threatened by the Reds: 7 IN, 4 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 11 K. Jonathan India led off the 6th with a double and stole 3rd. But Brandon Drury (fly out), Pham (K) and Votto (foul out) could not get him in.
Cash man: Cole is making $36M a year. He will make $36M a year for six more seasons, through 2028, at the age of 37.
Tough night. Tommy Pham entered the game 9 for 18 lifetime vs Cole. He has struck out all three of his plate appearances against him. He did walk to start the 9th inning rally.
Slick Nick: Senzel lost his footing in CF and fell to the ground allowing a Josh Donaldson fly ball to drop for an RBI single.
Relay team: The Reds cut down Gleyber Torres attempting a triple with a three man replay...Senzel to India to Drury. That is the Reds 21st outfield assist, tops in MLB.
Bullpen: 4 IN, 0 R......Jeff Hoffman 1.0 IN, Ian Gibaut 1.0 IN, Reiver Sanmartin 1.0 IN, Alexis Diaz 1.0.
Return engagement: Joey Votto returned to the lineup after missing seven games. He snapped an 0 for 16 with a 9th inning single.
I'm waiting: The start of the game was delayed 61 minutes due to a rain threat. But no rain came and not tarp was rolled out.