His home run, a bases-empty rip leading off the sixth inning, was part and parcel of a 6-2 Reds victory over the New York Mets in Citi Field.
Jonathan India’s first visit to The Big Apple was fruitful — two home runs, a double, three RBI, three runs scored.
While the attention is focused on Votto, India’s first home run gave the Reds a quick lead and his second one solidified the team’s fourth straight victory.
Even India, though, is dazzled by Votto’s binge.
“It’s amazing and he is a Hall of Famer in my eyes,” said India. “What he is doing is special and it is special to watch. It is late in his career and he is doing this? He is trying to have an MVP season.
“Right now it is insane and all of us are just amazed,” India added. “For now it’s Joey. It is almost expected. It’s special. It’s Joey Votto. He can do those things.”
India, too, is doing more than his part as rookie playing as if he is a seasoned veteran.
“This was huge for us, we need a win,” he said. “We have to keep winning. That’s the main goal for us. I’m going to do my best to help the team win in any way and anyhow.”
And that’s the way Votto sees it. His home runs help win games.
“It is so much more fun doing it on a winning team, doing it in connection with wins,” he said. “We’ve been playing well lately and doing that is exciting.
“Nobody is special on this team, nobody is special. We are doing this as a team,” he said. “That’s what gives us a chance to be a good club.
“I get to watch a guy like Jonathan India become a really interesting major league player — and I don’t want to give him too much because it’s early. And Tyler Stephenson the same thing.”
New York’s Carlos Carrasco, fresh off the injured list, made his Mets debut and his first pitch of the game landed in the left field seats, India’s first home run of the game.
Sonny Gray immediately emerged himself in a mess in the bottom of the first. The first four Mets reached base and a run scored on Jeff McNeil’s single.
And the Mets filled the bases with no outs, threatening to end Gray’s night before it began.
But he struck out Michael Conforto and Jonathan Villar hit into a double play, leaving it at 1-1.
Given that life, Gray reversed course dramatically and retired 13 of the final 14 he faced through the sixth inning.
“It was a tough first inning for Sonny,” said manager David Bell. “You have to give Sonny a ton of credit. He made some adjustments, found his breaking ball, continued to compete. If he doesn’t continue to stay after it there was a chance he wouldn’t get out of the first inning. The next thing you know, you look up and it is the sixth.”
Michael Lorenzen, activated off the injured list before the game, pitched a 1-2-3 seventh. Mychal Givens, making his second Reds appearance, put two on in the eighth with one out, but pitched out of it with no damage.
The Reds took a 2-1 lead in the fifth after they had two outs and nobody on. India doubled and scored on Jesse Winker’s single. Votto’s home run made it 3-1 in the sixth and the Reds broke it open in the ninth with three runs.
Aristides Aquino drove in one with a sacrifice fly and India unloaded his second home run, a two-run rip.
Amir Garrett pitched the ninth and gave up a run and had runners on third and second when he ended the game by striking out James McCann.
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