Washington Nationals Score Three Runs in Ninth Inning, Beat Cincinnati Reds 7-6
It looked like the Reds were going to improve to 2-0 on Saturday, as they entered the ninth with a 6-4 lead over the Nationals. Unfortunately for the home team, Washington had other plans.
The Nationals scored three runs against Reds closer Alexis Diaz to secure the win 7-6.
The Reds fall to 1-1 on the season.
This game was headlined by Hunter Greene's first start of the season. The former No. 2 overall pick pitched 4 2/3 innings, finishing with seven strikeouts. He gave up two runs on five hits and issued four walks.
Santiago Espinal made his Reds debut, signling in his first at bat. He was thrown out at home by former Red Jesse Winker.
Jeimer Candelario hit his first home run as a Red to tie the game 1-1 in the fifth inning. The Nationals re-took the lead with a sacrifice fly, but Luke Maile answered with a two-run homer that gave Cincinnati their first lead of the day 3-2.
Jonathan India smoked a RBI double as he drove in Benson to give Cincinnati a 4-2 advantage.
Washington answered, scoring runs in the seventh and eighth inning, but Nick Martini came through again.
After hitting two home runs on Opening Day, Martini hit a two-run double that gave Cincinnati a 6-4 lead going into the ninth.
Diaz had a chance to earn his first save of the season. Instead, he walked the lead-off hitter. He rebounded with a strikeout, before allowing the next four batters to get on base. He gave up back-to-back singles, then issued a walk and hit a batter, as the Nationals scored three in the ninth to win the game.
Maile drew a walk in the bottom of the ninth, but the Reds couldn't get him in scoring positon.
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The Reds play the Nationals on Sunday at 1:10 at Great American Ballpark.
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CALEB SISK
Caleb Sisk is a contributor for Volunteer Country, Inside The Reds, and All Bearcats, bringing a consistent mix of both quality and quantity content and posting daily content for supporters across the world. He is a fan of both college and professional sports. He is originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee, but now lives in a small city in Georgia named Tunnel Hill. He was born and raised to love sports and is living out a passion of his as he loves and enjoys writing about a plethora of different teams and sports.