Josh Rojas singled in the tying and go-ahead runs in a four-run ninth inning as the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks rallied from a three-run deficit to beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Thursday.
Reds closer Tony Santillan (0-1) walked the leadoff batter in the ninth, committed a key throwing error and allowed four runs — two earned — while retiring just one batter.
After Alek Thomas singled home Pavin Smith, Santillan’s throwing error to second base on a fielder’s choice put runners on first and second and none out.
A Daulton Varsho bunt moved the runners to second and third before Rojas put Arizona ahead with a single to center. David Peralta’s RBI grounder later made the Diamondbacks’ lead 5-3.
Mark Melancon (2-6) pitched a scoreless eighth for the win while Ian Kennedy pitched around a Matt Reynolds solo two-out homer in the ninth for his fourth save in six chances.
The red-hot Joey Votto had two hits and knocked in two runs for the Reds, who finished 3-5 on the homestand. Votto extended his hit streak to eight games.
Cincinnati hard-luck starter Tyler Mahle allowed just one run over six innings. Mahle fanned a season-high 10 and recorded his third straight quality start and fifth in his last six. Smith broke up the shutout when he lofted a Mahle fastball off the right field foul pole to lead off the fifth.
Mahle was victimized by a bullpen blown lead for a team-high fourth time and third straight start. Alexis Diaz worked around a leadoff walk in the seventh and pitched two scoreless innings before Santillan blew the game in Arizona’s four-run ninth.
Diaz hit Arizona designated hitter Christian Walker in the helmet with a 96-mph fastball in the eighth, forcing Walker immediately out of the game and to the clubhouse for examination.
The Reds suffered two bad breaks in the fourth when Jordan Luplow fouled a ball off the right throwing thumb of starting catcher Tyler Stephenson, who left immediately. Center fielder Albert Almora Jr. injured his right shoulder diving unsuccessfully to catch a Peralta flair to short center and left an inning later.
–Field Level Media
