McCoy: From triple play to walk off, Reds rally for improbable win over Indians

The impossible became possible with a triple play in the eighth inning that snuffed a Cleveland Indians rally.

The impossible became possible on Cleveland first baseman Josh Naylor’s error with two outs and nobody on in the ninth inning. There was nobody on and he fields the ground ball that slithered through his legs, the Indians win, 2-1.

The impossible became possible when Jesse Winker, down in the count 0-and-2, with two outs in the ninth, slammed a single to left to tied it, 2-2.

The impossible became possible when pinch-hitter Tyler Stephenson drove the game-winning head over the outfielders’ heads in right center in the 10th inning, a walk-off single.

Stephenson’s game-winning hit was a tip of the iceberg. How the Reds got there would fill a fiction novel.

It began with Sonny Gray making his first start this season and holding the Indians to two runs and six hits over 4 1/3 innings.

But it appeared that wasn’t enough. Tucker Barnhart’s second-inning home run was all the Reds could muster against Cleveland’s pencil-thin Tristan McKenzie (6-foot-5, 165 pounds).

And it appeared Gray sealed his doom in the fourth when he gave up a home run to Andres Gimenez to give Cleveland a 2-1 lead.

It looked as if the game would get away from the Reds in the eighth when the Indians put runners on first and third with no outs.

Then, magic.

Naylor scorched a line drive right at the first base bag. Reds first baseman Joey Votto snagged it and dove to tag Franmil Reyes for second out. The runner on third, Eddie Rosario, broke for home when the ball was hit. Votto threw to third baseman Max Schrock to complete the triple play.

“That was dope, man, that was dope,” said Winker about the triple play. “It came at a huge moment, that was really cool. That was a hell of play, man. That ball was crushed right at Joey. He dove, tagged the guy and threw over to third and the momentum shifted right back. It was an amazing play.”

Credit: Aaron Doster

Credit: Aaron Doster

Third baseman Shrock, called up Friday, was in the game late as part of a double switch. When Votto caught the ball, Shrock saw Rosario break for home and was yelling to Votto, “Four, four, four,” meaning throw the ball home.

“I wasn’t sure if Joey caught the ball in the air or what,” said Schrock. “I was screaming four, throw home. I’m glad he didn’t do that. It was cool to be part of that.”

And it was Shrock who was at the plate in the ninth with two outs and nobody on, his ball that did an imitation of a croquet ball going through the wicket of first baseman Naylor’s legs.

“I was just trying to get the next guy up, any way I could,” he said. “Gpod things happen when you put the ball in play. I was fortunate I was able to get the next man up.”

Schrock ended up on second base, bringing up Winker to face Emmanuel Chase, who features a 100 mph cutter that dives for the ground like a pelican diving for fish.

And he slipped two quick strikes past Winker.

“First thing I thought was, ‘Damn, that happened quick,’” said Winker. “You just go into fight mode then. I told myself, ‘I’m gonna hit it hard.’ I just simplied it. He throws a 101 miles an hour cutter, so I eliminated anything close to me. After he dotted the first one, then dotted the second one, I said, ‘Abort that idea. So I went into, ‘Hit the ball as hard as I can.’”

And he drove a screamer to left field to tie it, 2-2.

Now it’s the 10th and Eugenio Suarez, the man to make the last out of the ninth, was placed on second. Stephenson was sent to pinch-hit for Barnhart, even though Barnhart homered and singled.

But 39-year-old left-hander Oliver Perez, a 19-year veteran was on the mound. So manager David Bell sent Stephenson, a right hander to the plate. And he smashed the game-ender to deep right center.

" I just catch my breath, and try to slow the game down as much as possible.

“I warmed up in the tunnel and I was prepared for it and got a good pitch, a sinker out over the plate and hit it to right field,” said Stephenson. “That’s what I was looking for and I got it.”

Gray was witness to it all after leaving in the fifth inning.

“That was what good teams do, what great teams do,” he said. “It takes all of us to win these type of games. We came through as a unit, all 25 of us, and we got the job done.

“We’ve really grown since late last year as a group together,” he added. “I know I can feel it within the clubhouse.”

Led by Mike Moustakas, the team picks a star of the game after each win. So how do you pick a winner in this one. . . Barnhart, Gray, Schrock, Winker, Stephenson? How about the bullpen of TeJay Antone, Jose De Leon, Amir Garrett, Lucas Sims and Sean Doolittle? Those guys held the Indians to no runs and two hits over the final 5 2/3 innings.

“The guy who won the game with his swing, Tyler Stephenson,” said Winker. “That was an amazing swing. He crushed that ball. So, it’s him. It’s him.”