DETROIT — When baseball’s finest group opens the door with shaky protection, you undergo it. Within the Reds’ case on Sunday afternoon, they burst by way of. Not solely did it assist them break a season-long curse of no late comeback wins, an 8-4 victory over the Tigers at Comerica Park stored their long-awaited momentum transferring.
Cincinnati (37-35) has received seven of its previous 9 video games and three consecutive collection. It additionally accomplished a 4-2 street journey towards Cleveland and Detroit, which owns MLB’s finest file (46-27). Whereas a third-place membership within the Nationwide League Central, the Reds stay very a lot in vary for an NL Wild Card spot.
“All of us imagine — everybody on this clubhouse,” mentioned Gavin Lux, who drove within the go-ahead run with an RBI single in the course of the Reds’ four-run eighth inning. “We set that expectation within the spring. This group needs to be within the playoffs. We’ve all of the items to do it. So now, we’ve simply bought to go do it.”
With the Reds trailing, 4-2, after reliever Graham Ashcraft allowed two runs within the backside of the seventh, the eighth opened with TJ Friedl hitting a comebacker to reliever Brant Hurter. The lefty struggled to discipline the ball after which made a nasty underhand toss to first base for an error that allowed Friedl to advance to second base.
“It’s enormous. That’s who we’re as an offense,” Friedl mentioned. “We’re not going to take something without any consideration. We’re not going to jog up the road.”
Matt McLain adopted with a single to proper discipline towards righty Will Vest.
Subsequent, Elly De La Cruz hit an RBI single to proper discipline that scored Friedl and made it a one-run recreation. After Tyler Stephenson struck out, Christian Encarnacion-Strand grounded to 3rd base for what ought to’ve been an inning-ending double play. As an alternative, Zach McKinstry briefly bobbled the ball. De La Cruz beat his throw to second base and Encarnacion-Strand reached first forward of the throw.
“If he’s 90 p.c operating, he’s out,” supervisor Terry Francona mentioned. “We’ve talked to them the entire time. You may’t choose your spots once you’re going to hustle. If you do [hustle], you’ve bought an opportunity to win a recreation due to it.”
Pinch-hitter Will Benson drove within the tying run with a sacrifice fly to proper discipline that scored McLain. Lux delivered the go-ahead run that introduced residence De La Cruz. With Santiago Espinal batting, a wild pitch from Vest scored Encarnacion-Strand.
“Our offense does a very good job of feeding off one another. Immediately is a good instance of simply holding the road transferring,” Friedl mentioned.
To cap off the profitable comeback, De La Cruz hit his sixteenth residence run of the season within the ninth, a two-run opposite-field drive that put Cincinnati up by 4 runs. He joined Eric Davis (1984), Johnny Bench (’70) and Frank Robinson (’59) as the one Reds aged 23 or youthful to homer in 4 consecutive video games.
De La Cruz was given a partial relaxation on Sunday when Francona used him because the designated hitter to maintain his sizzling bat within the lineup. In his previous seven video games, the Reds’ shortstop is batting .414/.469/.897 with 4 homers and 7 RBIs.
“He’s been good,” Francona mentioned. “I discovered a great way to essentially piss him off. I instructed him, ‘I believe you’d make a great DH.’ I believe I heard some Spanish curse phrases.”
Late-inning comebacks have been exhausting to come back by for the Reds this season. In actual fact, they entered the day with an 0-29 file this season when trailing after seven innings. They continue to be 0-30 when trailing after eight.
“It looks like these final three collection, we’ve began to place it collectively, prime to backside,” Lux mentioned. “We’re simply having good group at-bats and situational at-bats. That’s a very good group over there with a whole lot of good arms. To return again late towards these guys, after which clearly Elly tacking on one other two-pointer there, is big. General, it’s a giant confidence enhance for our membership, and transferring ahead, I believe it helps rather a lot.”
Stated Friedl: “It was a fantastic street journey towards two good groups. I believe at this time was simply the ending touches earlier than an off-day. Taking place late and battling again and punching proper again. It’s who we’re as an offense, and at this time was only a nice instance of that.”
