That’s the life of a catcher when the heat index hovers near 100°, but Stephenson told reporters, “It’s part of it, the grindiness, and I love it.”
Stephenson was the centerpiece of the win with a home run and a double that provided three RBI.
A clinic? Two home runs. Two bunt hits. Defense. Hustle. Lights out pitching. The Reds displayed it all as they opened a nine-game homestand against Tampa Bay, the Los Angeles Dodgers and Atlanta.
Elly De La Cruz notched his eighth career four-hit game. Austin Hays, batting behind De La Cruz, had three hits and made a run-saving catch. TJ Friedl had a two-out bunt single and whacked a two-run home run into the Ohio River.
Will Benson hustled to prevent an inning-ending double play and Noelvi Marte followed with a run-scoring single. Marte had two hits and drove in two.
And starter Nick Martinez weathered the heat to give five innings of two-run, four-hit pitching, then the bullpen held the Rays to no runs and one hit over the final four innings.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
This longest homestand leads up to the July 31 trade deadline, something of which the players are acutely aware.
“We’re aware of the trade deadline looming,” Martinez told reporters after the game. “The boys want to play and the boys want to win. We want to make a push and we’re certainly playing like it.”
Entering the game, the Reds were 2 games behind in the race for the final National League wild card spot and the Rays were 1 1/2 for the final American League wild card spot.
Of the wild card chase, Martinez said, “Yeah, it’s a motivation. Nobody in there (the clubhouse) wants to sell. We want to win. We believe in ourselves. Everyone has bought into (manager) Tito Francona’s persona about winning.”
Asked about Francona’s persona, Martinez said, “An expectation to win. He wants to win... 2,000 wins and counting. That’s what he expects and so do we.”
Francona bounces the compliment right back at Martinez.
“To his credit, he competes like crazy,” he told reporters. “I didn’t think he commanded his best so his pitch count was elevated (93 pitches in five innings), but he gave up two. He didn’t give up six and gave us a chance to win.
“Martinez’s competitiveness and attitude, well, if it gets to me, I’m sure it’s getting to his teammates. He is just what you are looking for. He is not going to back down and he is going to give you everything he has. and he is going to enjoy doing it.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
As usual, Francona took the 7-2 romp over the Rays as just another win and knows his team stranded 12 runners and was 5 for 17 with runners in scoring position.
“We gave ourselves some opportunities and we didn’t cash in on all of them, but when you give yourself multiple chances, well, we kept pushing and pushing.”
And with all the offense, seven runs and 14 hits, Francona thought a defensive play was the high point.
“I actually thought the biggest play of the game was Austin Hays snagging that line drive,” he said. “If he missed that, a run scores and it’s a tie game and they have a runner on second or third. That was a huge play.”
It happened in the sixth inning.
Stephenson’s homer in the second gave the Reds a 1-0 lead, but the Rays scored a run in the third and a run in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead.
Hays led the fourth with a single and Gavin Lux grounded to first and first baseman Jonathan Aranda’s throw to second hit Hays and everybody was safe.
Spencer Steer bunted, a sacrifice attempt, but the bunt was so good there was no throw and the bases were full with no outs.
“Spence was just trying to bunt to move ‘em over and got a hit out of it and good for him,” said Francona.
Stephenson popped up for the first out. That’s when Benson grounded to first and avoided an inning-ending double play with his sprinter’s sprint to first. Not only did the inning not end, a run scored on the fielder’s choice. And with two outs, Marte singled to give the Reds a 3-2 lead.
Of Benson’s hustle, Francona said, “Ah, man. I made sure I said something to him because if he doesn’t beat that out, the inning is over and we got nothing to show for it.”
Friedl bunted for a hit at the end of the rally, his MLB-leading eighth bunt hit.
“People say, ‘Why do you bunt with two outs,’ but he wasn’t feeling good at the plate (2 for 24 at the time) and all of a sudden he has a base hit. Now look what he does the next time up,” said Francona.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The next time was in the sixth when Friedl followed Marte’s two-out double with his splashdown home run that gave the Reds a 5-2 lead. Five of their seven runs came with two outs.
And the Hays catch?
The Rays had a runner on first with one out when Christopher Morel lined one toward left center. Hays laid out full to make the diving catch.
The Reds added two more runs in the seventh on singles by De La Cruz and Hays, a balk, and Stephenson’s two-run single to make it 7-2, the final score in what certainly was one of the Reds’ best all-around, everybody contributes victory.
NEXT GAME
Who: Tampa Bay at Cincinnati
When: 6:40 p.m., Saturday, July 26
TV: FanDuel Sports
Radio: 1410-AM, 700-AM
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