Photo: Getty Images
Reds 7 Mariners 6
Christian Encarnacion Strand bounced a single through the right side and Elly De La Cruz scored from 2nd base with nobody out in the bottom of the 9th to stun the Mariners 7-6. It was their MLB best 44th comeback win. It was their 10th walkoff win. It was a rabbit out of a hat game. I have no idea how they did it.
The Reds had chipped away at a 5-1 deficit in the 5th and tied it in the 8th on a Nick Martini pinch-hit, three-run bomb to knots things at 6-6.
Alex Diaz was tasked with holding the tie in the top of the 9th, to give the Reds a chance to win it in the bottom of the 9th. The Reds appeared to turn an inning ending double play, but the Mariners challenged and won the call at 1B. The Reds went back onto the field. Diaz hit a batter before getting Eugenio Suarez to fly out. De La Cruz singled to start the bottom of the 9th, his second hit of the night, and promptly stole 2nd to set up the CES heroics.
They have won 4 of 5, 5 of 7, and stand 73-68 on the season. They are 13-1 vs the AL West this season.
The Diamondbacks lost and the Marlins won. The Reds have sole possession of the 3rd wild card, leading the Marlins by a half game and Diamondback by a full game.
Phillips: 4.2 IN, 6 H, 5 R, 2 BB, 7 K, 2 HR. 97 pitches. He issued a two out 1st inning walk that was followed by a two-run HR by Teoscar Hernandez. But he didn't back down and cruised into the 5th having retired 10 of 12. But he gave up two soft singles in the 5th and then Rodriguez belted a crushing, full count, three-run homer with one out to make it 5-1. He showed a good mix of pitches, fastball, slider, curve and change. He got 12 swings and misses on 42 swings. His fastball averaged 97 and he pumped it up to 98.9.
Missed chances: Mariners SP Bryce Miller dodged trouble to go 5 IN, 7 H, 1 R. The Reds bounced into double plays to end each of the first two innings (Steer, Bader). Meanwhile, Elly De La Cruz and Noelvi Marte were thrown out attempting to steal 2nd. A single followed each caught stealing. The Reds loaded the bases against him with one out in the 5th, but Steer struck out and De La Cruz lined out to left.
Another missed chance: Trailing 5-3 in the 6th, Nick Senzel pinch-hit vs LHP Gabe Speier with two on and two out and lined out to the warning track.
Take that! Noelvi Marte's 1st MLB home run came vs the team that traded him, a blast that left the bat at nearly 108mph. He had 3 hits, including a 2B.
Nice night: CES 3 H, HR....Elly two singles and a BB. That's three walks the last two days for Elly.
Pinch me: Tyler Stephenson continued his hot streak with a pinch-hit single in the 8th. He's 11 for his last 21. Martini hit the pinch-hit 3-run bomb in the 8th. That's four homers in 45 plate appearances for Martini. He'd hit two homers in 333 career MLB appearances before joining the Reds.
Stud: Mariners OF Julio Rodriguez clobbered a three-run 5th inning homer vs Phillips and then added a 7th inning solo blast off Derek Law.
Chuggin! Luke Maile scored from 1B on a double by Jake Fraley in the 3rd inning, the first time he's done that since 2019.
Bullpen: Shreve 1.1 IN.....Law 1.0 IN, HR.....Legumina 1.0 (first ML appearance since June)....Diaz 1.0 IN....9 strikes on 22 pitches.
Pitch to contact: Mariners pitchers hit three Reds Monday and three more Tuesday (2 Fraley/Friedl). Seattle entered the series having hit 37 batters, fewest in MLB. Almost impossible to believe as much as throw inside again and again and again. Fraley was hit on his left foot, the one that will require toe surgery in the offseason, twice.
Reality: Part of this night included the hope of getting the bullpen back into somewhat better shape for tomorrow night. Phillips pitching into the 5th helped.
Things could have really gone sideways for tonight and tomorrow and maybe the next day. Games and bullpen use doesn’t unfold in a vacuum. The Reds are fighting the hamster wheel right now. It's the reality of situation.
Scratched: Hunter Renfroe was scratched from the starting lineup with left hamstring tightness, replaced by Harrison Bader. Renfroe pinch-hit and walked with a man on in the 6th. Stuart Fairchild pinch-ran for him.
How the Reds scored:
3rd Fraley RBI 2B score Maile from 1B, 2-1 Mariners
6th CES solo HR (6), 5-2 Mariners
6th Marte solo HR (1), 5-3 Mariners
8th Martini PH three-run HR, 6-6
9th CES RBI 1B, 7-6