Tyler Mahle, pitching a few miles north of his hometown with a slew of relatives and friends in the stands, tamed the mighty Los Angeles Dodgers and turned a 3-1 lead over to the bullpen. But the much-troubled Amir Garrett gave up a two-run home run to Corey Seager in the seventh inning to tie it.
That forced the Winker 10th-inning heroics after Nick Castellanos provided two of the first three Reds runs with a run-scoring double in the fourth and a run-producing single in the fifth.
Mahle faced early disaster in the first inning when Mookie Betts doubled Seager walked to put two on with nobody out.
And with one out, Mahle escaped via a pitcher’s bosom buddy, a 6-4-3 inning-ending double play by Will Smith.
Meanwhile, the Reds were facing left-hander Julio Urias, 3-0 and fresh off shutting out Milwaukee on one hit and 11 strikeouts over seven innings.
And for the first three innings Urias was untouchable. Alex Blandino led the game with a walk, then Urias retired nine straight.
That ended in the fourth when the Reds pushed two runs across. It began with a Winker single, lifting his hitting streak to 11 games. Castellanos doubled into the right field corner, putting runners on third and second with no outs.
Winker scored on Eugenio Suarez’s grounder to short and Castellanos scored on Nick Senzel’s sacrifice fly.
Mahle nearly escaped damage again in the fourth, even though he gave up a single to Chris Taylor and hit Max Muncy with a pitch.
Once again it was two on and no outs, but Mahle got the next two and was one out away from no damage. But Gavin Lux ripped a single to right for a run, trimming the Reds advantage to 2-1.
The Reds retrieved that run in the fifth when Urias opened the inning by hitting Kyle Farmer with a pitch. Mahle bunted Farmer to second and he scored on a single to left by Castellanos to push the Reds ahead, 3-1.
Mahle pulled another Houdini in the fifth after getting the first two outs. Seager and Taylor singled, but Mahle struck out Muncy.
Both Urias and Muncy were gone after five innings. Urias pitched five innings and gave up three runs and four hits. Mahle’s five innings consisted of one run, five hits with two walks and five strikeouts.
Lucas Sims replaced Mahle in the sixth and not only went 1-2-3, he struck out the side — Smith, Luke Raney and Lux.
LA relief pitcher Mitch White walked two in the seventh, but the rally died the way it has so many times so far this season. Suarez grounded out and he is 3 for his last 48 with 22 strikeouts.
Sims made it four strikeouts in a row to start the seventh, whiffing Edwin Rios. But he walked weak-hitting pinch-hitter Austin Barnes on four pitches. He quickly righted himself by retiring ever-pesky Betts on a soft liner to shortstop.
Manager David Bell decided it was time for left-hander Garrett to face lefty Seager, the potential tying run.
Terrible timing. Seager ripped the second pitch he saw into the pavilion in right center, dropping to one knee after connecting on Garrett’s breaking pitch.
And it was 3-3, leaving it up to Winker to pull his magic.
Blandino, batting leadoff, was on base three times via walks. Castellanos was on base four times with a double, single and two walks. Winker had two hits. . .but the biggest blow of the night.
Reds relief pitcher Tejay Antone worked the final three innings and received a hard-earned victory by retiring nine of the 11 Dodgers he faced. He muzzled the Dodgers on no runs, no hits with two walks and three strikeouts.
The Dodgers had two on and two outs in the bottom of the 10th before Antone struck out Raley to end it.
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