Rookie power! Young Reds key walk-off win in extras

Cincinnati — Reds rookie Spencer Steer was unconcerned as he waited on deck in the bottom of the 11th for the outcome of a crucial review to determine whether Elly De La Cruz was out at the plate or if he scored the winning run.

Steer pondered, “It will probably be the weirdest walk-off I’ve ever been a part of if this call gets overturned.” On the off chance that it doesn’t, so what? We should go attempt to get one more run.”

De La Cruz was eliminated upon review, but the disappointment did not linger. At Great American Ball Park on Friday, Steer tattooed a drive to left field, where it resulted in a two-run walk-off home run and the team’s 7-5 victory over the Padres.

It broadened the 44-38 Reds’ series of wins to three games, and it was their 30th dug out from a deficit triumph of the time, the most in the Majors.

The club’s offense was led by three rookies in the winning final innings:

In the bottom of the tenth inning, Matt McLain hit a home run that tied the game.
With an RBI double in the 11th, De La Cruz tied the game for a second time.
Steer won it after De La Cruz was out at the plate.

STATS claims that the Reds are the first team in MLB history to have two rookies hit walk-off home runs and game-tying home runs in the same game.

According to McLain, “I think it says a lot about our character and how we go about our business.” Like everyone else, we just want to help the team win. There is nothing more or less than that. If we can help the team even a little bit each day, with every at-bat and pitch, that’s a win for us.”

De La Cruz hit an RBI double to right field at 115.4 mph in the bottom of the 11th inning against reliever Drew Carlton, scoring Jonathan India and bringing Cincinnati back within 5-4. Kevin Newman’s penance hit moved De La Cruz to third base.

De La Cruz rushed for home on Scratch Senzel’s defender’s decision grounder to Xander Bogaerts at shortstop. The rookie attempted a headfirst slide, but he was unable to reach the plate by wrapping around catcher Gary Sánchez’s leg. The Reds launched a challenge, claiming that Sánchez had erroneously blocked the plate, but the out call was upheld.

“That can truly discourage you commonly. It simply doesn’t,” Reds director David Chime said. ” That cannot be taught. It’s just the way our players and team have evolved.”

Following Steer, who smacked Carlton’s 2-2 pitch to left field and pointed to the Reds’ dugout, the 31,772 fans erupted in hysteria. In the major leagues, it was his first walk-off home run.

“That was only sort of a power outage second for me, truly,” said Steer, who drives the club with 13 homers. ” I knew it was gone when I hit it. All the other things, anything occurred from that point forward, I can’t really understand. It’s one of those minutes you long for and have without exception needed to do.”

Before closer Alexis Daz blew his first save of the season in the top of the ninth inning, the Reds held a 2-1 lead. This ended baseball’s longest save streak, which had been 27 consecutive saves since the previous season. Díaz surrendered two hits to open the meeting, remembering making a terrible toss to initially base for a hit single.

Bogaerts scored on a sacrifice fly to right field by Matt Carpenter, resulting in the tying run.

Jorge Merlos, Daz’s translator, reported, “This team is playing just unbelievable, undeniable baseball that you just know that they’re going to come back and win the game.” So I’m only content with how the things ended up.”

Ian Gibaut gave up Juan Soto’s RBI double and Fernando Tatis Jr.’s RBI single in the 10th inning, giving San Diego a 4-2 lead. Cincinnati was down to its last out when McLain conveyed a game-tying, two-run homer to focus field against reliever Beam Kerr to broaden the game.