Rookie Matt McLain singled home the winning run to cap a three-run, ninth-inning rally and lead the Cincinnati Reds past the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers 9-8.
McLain’s hit to deep left-center field gap with one out came against reliever Shelby Miller, who had just entered the game. The previous batter, Jake Fraley, was hit by a Caleb Ferguson pitch with the bases load to tie the score 8-8.
Curt Casali had worked a bases-loaded walk to pull Cincinnati within 8-7, bringing up Fraley.
The game featured the heralded major league debut of Cincinnati’s top prospect, third baseman Elly De La Cruz, who went 1-for-3 with a double and walked twice.
Freddie Freeman hit his fifth career grand slam in the fourth inning to give the Dodgers an 8-3 lead before the Reds began their rally.
J.D. Martinez added a solo homer and drove in two for the Dodgers, who fell to 30-2 when leading after eight innings.
Tyler Stephenson had three hits and two RBIs for the Reds, who completed their 18th come-from-behind win.
Eduardo Salazar (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth inning for his first major league win. Ferguson (3-1) walked three and allowed three runs while recording just one out in the ninth.
De La Cruz worked a walk in his first big-league plate appearance. The 21-year-old rookie — batting cleanup — showed off his electric speed by scoring from second on a two-run single by Stephenson that tied the game 3-3.
De La Cruz ripped a line drive double to right-center — clocked at 112 mph off the bat — for his first career hit in the third inning. However, he was stranded at second and the game remained tied.
The Dodgers erupted for five runs in the fourth. Martinez homered to left, his 15th, to give the visitors a 4-3 lead. Los Angeles then loaded the bases and knocked Reds starter Luke Weaver from the game. Alex Young entered and left an 0-2 changeup over the plate, and Freeman lofted it to the seats in right for his 11th homer and an 8-3 lead.
Cincinnati manager David Bell was ejected for arguing balls and strikes with two outs in the bottom of the fifth. After an emotional outburst, he was tossed by plate umpire Carlos Torres.
Young was also ejected in the top of the sixth after he was replaced by Fernando Cruz.
The contest was the opener of a three-game series. Cincinnati earned its second win in a row while Los Angeles took its third consecutive loss.
–Field Level Media
