Reds Flip the Script: Ninth-Inning Rally Erases Pain of Lost Lead

Hunter Greene was cruising, and the Reds were up 4-1 heading into the seventh inning. But, it's never easy.

The Angels scored two runs in the seventh off Greene and Graham Ashcraft and then hit a solo home run off Luis Mey in the eighth inning to tie the game. At that point, you're starting to think, here we go again.

Emilio Pagan was unavailable on Tuesday night.

"I told him he wasn't going to pitch," Reds manager Terry Francona said. "I think the two days down, not that it's a lot, I think will do him a world of good."

With two outs in the ninth, Jose Trevino started the rally with a single to left field. Ke'Bryan Hayes was hit by a pitch. Will Benson came on to pinch hit for Matt McLain and walked to load the bases with just one out. TJ Friedl followed with a fly ball to center field, scoring Jose Trevino and giving the Reds a 5-4 lead.

"Incredible at-bats against a great closer," TJ Friedl said. "We just kind of stuck to our approach and just one at-bat after another, pass the baton mentality. Getting traffic on the bases and just adding onto it."

Gavin Lux doubled home Hayes to make a 6-4 lead, but Benson was thrown out at the plate trying to score.

Tony Santillan pitched a 1-2-3 ninth inning to secure the win and secure the series victory. It was their 10th straight win over the Angels.

"It feels good," Santillan said. "I am ready for any situation. Today, just happened to be that situation. I was ready for it. It felt good to come in and lock down the win for the team."

The Reds remain one game back on the third and final National League Wild Card spot.

You can watch Francona, Elly De La Cruz, Santillan, and Friedl's postgame comments below: