Rookie McLain’s 1st walk-off hit caps comeback from 5 down
Cruz placed on a present, however his teammates did, too.
The Reds bought off the mat for a 9-8, walk-off win over the Dodgers earlier than their frenzied followers. Another not too long ago called-up rookie, Matt McLain, hit the game-winner with a bases-loaded single.
The Reds had been down 3-0 earlier than their first at-bat of the sport and 8-3 after 4 innings.
“That’s who we are and who we have to be if we want to win,” McLain stated. “We play nine innings, no matter the score — if we’re up 10 or down 10, you’ve got to keep playing. That’s what we’re going to do.”
Jonathan India, on deck when McLain walked it off, was assured in his teammate.
“You know what? I honestly told some people on deck, I was like, ‘He’s going to win the game.'” India stated. “I wasn’t even swinging on deck. I had full faith in Matty to do that. I gave him a scouting report on [Shelby] Miller. He came through in the clutch. It was perfect.”
The Reds’ future seems shiny with a younger core and rookies in key roles.
“It’s really exciting when you look into the future,” McLain stated. “But we’re here now playing, and we’re here to win. It’s a good feeling.”
Reds supervisor David Bell thought getting three runs off Dodgers starter Tony Gonsolin (3-1 with a 1.77 ERA coming into the sport) within the first inning was key.
“That showed a lot right there,” Bell stated. “That kept us in the game, and even when we were down 8-3, I think that first inning gave us confidence.”
The Reds scored one within the fifth, one within the sixth and one within the seventh, however they had been nonetheless down 8-6 going into the underside of the ninth and dealing with lefty Caleb Ferguson, who got here in with a 2.14 ERA.
Spencer Steer led off with a stroll. Tyler Stephenson despatched Steer to 3rd with a single. An out later, Stuart Fairchild walked to load the bases. Curt Casali walked to pressure in a run and make it 8-7.
Ferguson then hit Jake Fraley with a pitch to usher in the tying run.
That was it for Ferguson. The Dodgers introduced within the right-handed Miller to face McLain.
“One out, infield in, I’m just trying to get something in the middle of the plate and hit it in the air,” McLain stated.
He did that. He hit a excessive fly ball that simply cleared heart fielder Jason Heyward’s glove, and McLain had his first walk-off since Double-A Chattanooga two years in the past.
“Exhilarating,” Fraley stated. “We’ve got such a good group of guys in here. We just never stop fighting. It’s really fun to be part of.”
