The Cincinnati Reds rallied late in Arizona and were able to send the game to extra innings. But the Reds ended the 10th and 11th innings with double plays and the Diamondbacks were able to get their runner to the plate in the 11th for a walk-off win.
Final
R
H
E
Cincinnati Reds (67-62)
5
6
1
Arizona Diamondbacks (63-66)
6
8
1
W: Beeks (4-1) L: Barlow (6-2)
Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread
The Reds would get a leadoff single from TJ Friedl to begin the game, but weren’t able to move him any further around the bases. Arizona got a leadoff walk in their half of the inning and they took advantage of it. Corbin Carroll would double, moving Geraldo Perdomo over to third base, and then a sacrifice fly put the Diamondbacks up 1-0.
Cincinnati would get a leadoff walk from Noelvi Marte to start the 2nd inning and this time around the Reds were able to capitalize on having a baserunner on. Ke’Bryan Hayes doubled and Marte raced around the bases to score, and Hayes took third when the throw went to the plate. Jose Trevino followed up with an RBI hit two pitches later to put the visiting club up 2-1.
In the bottom of the inning Arizona was able to load the bases but Zack Littell was able to get out of the jam with a strikeout to strand all three runners. The next inning didn’t work out the same way. A walk began the inning and then Pavin Smith reached with one out on catchers interference. That put two men on for Gabriel Moreno and after missing the last ten weeks, he welcomed himself back with a 3-run home run to put the Diamondbacks in front 4-2.
Sam Moll and Connor Phillips would keep Arizona off of the board in the 4th and 5th innings. Cincinnati would pick up a leadoff triple from Elly De La Cruz in the 6th inning and he would come in to score on a groundout that cut the deficit to a run.
Phillips and Brent Suter then combined to hold the score there for the 6th and 7th innings. In the top of the 8th inning the Reds would send Miguel Andujar to the plate to pinch hit with one out for Gavin lux. The move paid off as he doubled into right field. Elly De La Cruz then came through with a game-tying single into right.
Neither team would score in the 9th inning and the game headed to extras. Ke’Bryan Hayes began the inning at second as the Reds free runner. Jose Trevino laid down a bunt and it wasn’t a good one, but pitcher John Curtiss stumbled trying to field the ball, then recovered, but his rushed throw to first went by the bag and allowed Hayes to score on the play and Trevino to take second. Another bunt followed and Trevino took third base, but Trevino would be doubled off at the plate after trying to score on a fly out to right field as Corbin Carroll unleashed a laser to the plate to end the top of the inning.
Graham Ashcraft took over for Cincinnati in the bottom of the 10th. Alek Thomas began the Arizona half of the frame as the free runner and he took third on a successful sacrifice bunt. Ketel Marte and Ashcraft then battled each other for 13 pitches before Marte hit a blooper into center to tie the game up. One pitch later saw Corbin Carroll ground into a double play to end the 10th.
The Reds would see their half of the 11th inning end on a double play for the second straight inning after Elly De La Cruz lined out to shortstop and TJ Friedl couldn’t get back to third base in time on the play.
Scott Barlow entered the game for Cincinnati in the bottom of the 11th to face the middle of Arizona’s lineup. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. lined a single into center on the second pitch of the inning and Corbin Carroll scored from second base without at throw as the Diamondbacks took game one of the series.
Key Moment of the Game
Maybe it was not pinch running for Jose Trevino in the 10th inning when he was on third base. Perhaps it was the Lourdes Gurriel Jr. walk off single. Choose your own adventure on this one.
Notes Worth Noting
The Reds had just six hits in the game and two of them belonged to Elly De La Cruz – the only hitter with more than one hit for the Reds.
The Reds bullpen threw seven innings and both runs that scored against them were unearned. Unfortunately both of those runs took place in extra innings.
Following the game manager Terry Francona said he “battled” himself on the decision to pinch run for Trevino because it would put Will Banfield out there in a tough situation to make his MLB debut in extras to catch Ashcraft with a runner already on second base.
The New York Mets won on Friday, meaning the Reds are now 1.5 games out of the final wild card spot.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Arizona Diamondbacks
Saturday August 23rd, 8:10pm ET
Andrew Abbott (8-3, 2.28 ERA) vs Nabil Crismatt (0-0, 1.80 ERA)
