Will Benson tied the score with a two-out, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth and Christian Encarnacion-Strand lined a solo homer to left to complete the rally as Cincinnati Reds edged the visiting Washington Nationals 6-5 on Sunday.
Just one strike from defeat, Jonathan India won a 10-pitch encounter with Nationals closer Kyle Finnegan (0-1) by driving a double down the left-field line.
Benson followed with a homer to left-center before Encarnacion-Strand ended an 0-for-12 slump with his solo shot.
Lucas Sims (1-0) pitched a perfect ninth for Cincinnati, which captured the rubber game of the series.
Rookie Trey Lipscomb broke a 3-3 tie with his first big league homer in the seventh inning, after CJ Abrams hit a solo shot for Washington in the third.
Lane Thomas snapped an 0-for-10 skid with a two-run single and drove in three on the day for Washington.
Abrams got the Nationals on the board first with a 429-foot homer on a hanging slider from Nick Martinez, who was making his first start with Cincinnati. The ball landed halfway up the sun deck in right for his first of the season.
The Reds manufactured two runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead off Washington starter Jake Irvin, who allowed seven hits and three runs over five innings.
Jake Fraley and Benson each had three hits for Cincinnati, while Spencer Steer went 2-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Benson drove in three runs.
Cincinnati added to its lead in the fourth when Steer singled home Elly De La Cruz, who tripled with two out.
Lipscomb, who picked up his first big league hit on Saturday, picked up another first on Sunday when he drove a Buck Farmer fastball to right-center for his first major league homer. Farmer later worked out of a bases-loaded jam in the seventh.
Center fielder Benson nearly robbed Lipscomb of the moment, only to have the ball ricochet off the outside of his glove and fall into the first row of seats for a 4-3 Washington lead.
–Field Level Media
