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Reds pull off seven-run ninth inning to stun Giants 10-9 in wild comeback
Cincinnati Reds score seven runs in the ninth inning to erase a six-run deficit and stun the San Francisco Giants 10-9 at Oracle Park. Eugenio Suárez hit two home runs including a grand slam.
The Cincinnati Reds erased a six-run deficit in the top of the ninth inning, scoring seven runs — capped by a Tyler Stephenson go-ahead single — to beat the San Francisco Giants 10-9 at Oracle Park on Wednesday afternoon.
Down 9-3 entering the final frame, the Reds (63-71) sent 11 batters to the plate against Giants reliever Drew Smith, who suffered his third blown save and dropped to 0-5. Héctor Rodríguez led off the inning with a solo homer. Eugenio Suárez followed with a grand slam — his second home run of the game — scoring JJ Bleday, Sal Stewart and Elly De La Cruz to cut the lead to 9-8. Jose Trevino then tied it with a sacrifice fly, and Stephenson delivered the go-ahead single to left, scoring Matt McLain.
How it unfolded
The game seesawed early. Dane Myers walked and scored on Trevino's RBI single in the second (1-0 Reds). Giants second baseman Jonah Cox answered immediately with a two-run homer off Reds starter Nick Lodolo in the bottom half, scoring Shay Whitcomb (2-1 Giants).
Rodríguez tied it 2-2 with a solo shot in the third, but the Giants pulled away in the middle innings. Rafael Devers crushed a two-run homer in the fifth — his 29th of the season — and Whitcomb added a two-run shot of his own in the sixth to make it 6-2. After Sal Stewart's sacrifice fly in the seventh cut it to 6-3, the Giants appeared to put the game away in the eighth when Tyler Gilbert cleared the bases with a double, scoring Grant McCray, Andrew Knizner and Tim Hill for a 9-3 lead.
The turning point
Drew Smith entered to protect a six-run lead in the ninth. He retired nobody. Smith faced six batters, allowing four hits — including Rodríguez's leadoff homer and Suárez's grand slam — before being pulled with no outs and runners on first and second. Reliever Erik Miller allowed Trevino's sacrifice fly and Stephenson's go-ahead single.
For context: entering Wednesday, teams trailing by 6+ runs in the ninth inning this season were 2-971. The Reds improved that number to 3-971.
Key performers
Eugenio Suárez, CIN: Two home runs, five RBIs — a solo shot in the third and the game-changing grand slam in the ninth. His six career multi-homer games include two this season.
Héctor Rodríguez, CIN: Reached base four times (two homers, hit by pitch, walk). His two home runs matched his season total entering the day.
Rafael Devers, SF: 2-for-4 with a two-run homer (No. 29) and a single. His 29 homers lead the Giants by a wide margin.
Shay Whitcomb, SF: 2-for-4 with a double, a two-run homer and four total RBIs.
Player of the match: Eugenio Suárez (CIN)
By the numbers — interpreted
The Reds finished with 15 hits to the Giants' 12, but the distribution tells the full story. San Francisco built its 9-3 lead through consistent two-out damage — Cox's two-run homer came with two outs, as did Devers' blast. But the Reds' 7-run ninth produced five extra-base hits, a sacrifice fly and a go-ahead single from a team that had managed three runs through eight innings against Logan Webb (5 IP, 2 ER) and the Giants bullpen.
The Giants committed two errors, both in the field, that extended innings. One error in the ninth on what should have been the final out extended the rally long enough for Suárez to step to the plate.
What it means
The win snapped the Reds' four-game losing streak and kept them from falling further adrift in the NL Central, though their playoff hopes remain faint at 63-71. The Giants (54-79) have lost six of their last seven and own the second-worst record in the National League.
Cincinnati continues its road trip Friday against the Milwaukee Brewers. The Giants host the Miami Marlins for a three-game set starting Friday.