MINNEAPOLIS – It took the Cincinnati Reds until the ninth inning of their series finale in Minnesota, but the lowest-scoring team in the majors unloaded a week’s worth of runs on the Twins in two innings to pull off an extra-inning victory and second series sweep of the season.
Stymied for eight innings as they have been much of the season, the Reds broke out for three runs in the ninth for a short-lived lead, then took advantage of an error and a Rece Hinds double for three more in the 10th on Sunday to beat the Twins 7-4.
With one out in the 10th, Eugenio Suárez grounded a ball toward left that third baseman Tristan Gray misplayed for an error, allowing automatic-runner Elly De La Cruz to jog into third, and when left fielder Austin Martin subsequently mishandled the roller past Gray, De La Cruz sprinted home with the go-ahead run.
A strikeout and walk later, Hinds drove a two-run double into the left-field corner.
“Keep playing,” manager Terry Francona said. “Our game is so much of how you handle frustration. We didn’t have a whole lot going on, and they kept plugging away and giving us a chance.”
As if the late rallies didn’t add up to enough drama for the afternoon, the game ended with Twins at the corners when Reds catcher P.J. Higgins challenged a 2-2 ball call – resulting in an overturned call, strike three and final out of the game.
“I really respect the fact they’re trying to do it team wise,” Francona said. “And we may lose some calls like that early, but it’s nice to have one left.”
The Reds’ best 22-game start (14-8) in 20 years includes the best road record in the majors so far, at 8-2, which is just the third time in franchise history they’ve won eight of their first 10 on the road — the other two on the way to a division title in 1973 and a World Series championship in 1990.
As impressive as anything, they continue to win close games. Not only are they the first team in National League history to win their first 10 games decided by two runs or fewer in a season, but they’re now 3-0 in extra-inning games – after a miserable 3-12 showing in those games last year.
“The confidence we have in one-run ballgames is incredible,” said TJ Friedl, who was 0-for-15 before delivering hits in two of his final three at-bats, including a three-run double in the ninth for a short-lived lead.
“It’s obviously great having timely hitting and big hits like those situations (late Sunday), but we’ve been doing it all season,” he said. “We’ve been playing clean baseball, that’s the biggest thing. Our pitching has been doing phenomenal. We’re taking care of the ball on defense, which is a big point of emphasis. With our lineup, it’s only a matter of time before the bats start rolling.”
The Reds trailed most of the game before rallying for the lead in the ninth inning for the second straight day.
Friedl’s one-out, base-clearing double was the Reds’ first hit with a man in scoring position since Dane Myers’ game-winner the day before.
Reds closer Emilio Pagán, the former Twin, gave up a leadoff single in the bottom of the inning to No. 9 James Outman – who entered the day on an 0-for-19 skid to start the season – and gave up the lead one out later on Martin’s double to left.
It was Pagán’s first blown save since the season opener, snapping a streak of six converted chances, and was the first run he’d allowed since April 1.
It also was the first earned run the MLB-leading Reds’ bullpen has allowed since April 12. The Reds’ pen still leads the majors with a 2.31 ERA after its four innings of work Sunday.
Pagán returned to the mound Friday to earn a save, three days after experiencing hamstring tightness in his previous outing. He’s pitching with a compression sleeve on the left hamstring.
Reds starter Brady Singer turned in his second consecutive quality start despite a shaky first inning and two-run third. He had a 7.71 ERA through three starts before those two.
“He limited the damage in the first,” Francona said. “Then he hung around for six innings. A hundred pitches and gave up three where that could have easily been five or six. He battled his rear end off.”
Hinds suggested the late scoring outbursts to finish off the Twins might be a sign of things to come as the Reds depart frigid Minnesota – where game-time temps were 43, 39 and 42 degrees – for a three-game set against the Rays in St. Petersburg.
“They’re doing a good job of competing,” Francona said. “We talked about it before the series. You come up here and it’s cold, and nobody’s thrilled. But if you’re ahead you’re gonna be a little warmer.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds sweep Twins on road with pair of late rallies
Reporting by Gordon Wittenmyer, Cincinnati Enquirer / Cincinnati Enquirer
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
