—Secondly they won it by one run, 4-3, only their 10th one-run win in 31 one-run affairs.
—They spotted the high-octane Brewers a two-run lead and came back to win.
—The turned three double plays to snuff rallies in the fifth, seventh and eighth.
—When Noelvi Marte came off his 80-game suspension, he played third base with an iron skillet glove and an arm that threatened bodily harm to not only the first baseman, but fans seated nearby.
In recent times, his glove has turned to gold and his arm into an accurate sling shot. He made a belly-flopping backhanded stop and scrambled to his feet to throw out a runner, saving a run.
He charged in on a slow roller and threw out a runner at first to save another run.
—Manager David Bell took a monumental chance by inserting relief pitcher Emilio Pagan into the game in the eighth inning with a one-run lead. A gamble. Pagan was appearing in his first game since June 8. He issued a walk, but the defense bailed him out with a double play.
—Closer Alexis Diaz pitched a 1-2-3 ninth against the middle of the Brewers order and went 1-2-3 with two strikeouts, his 16th straight save and 23rd on the season.
—The Reds won despite striking out 13 times. They won despite their leadoff hitter, Jonathan India, ending the series 1 for 25. They won despite Elly De La Cruz going 1 for 13 in the series with 10 strikeouts.
For once, the Reds played like they meant it.
If there was a star among stars, it was Santiago Espinal, probably the most underrated player on the team, if not in the National League.
Batting ninth and playing second base for one of the few times this year, he had two of the Reds six hits, drove in two and scored one.
In his last 15 games, he has hit safely in 14 and eight times he had multi-hits. His only miss was when San Francisco’s Blake Snell no-hit the Reds.
And, as always, he was a magician with the glove. He started one double play and turned another.
But his biggest play was in the sixth inning with the score tied, 3-3. Milwaukee’s Willie Contreras was on third with the potential go-ahead run.
With the Reds’ infield drawn in, Blake Perkins shot one to Espinal’s right. He backhanded it and in one quick motion threw home to erase Contreras.
“We knew Contreras was a little bit slow, so I felt I had a little bit of time to throw the ball,” Espinal told Bally Sports Ohio, although he whipped his throw quickly and on perfect location.
“It was a comfortable sitiation for me to catch the ball and I got the ball to home plate and we made the play,” he said.
Reds starter Nick Lodolo walked Willy Adames on a full count to open the second and with one out Joey Ortiz landed a home run into the left field seats for a 2-0 Milwaukee lead.
With the way the Brewers abuse the Reds, that lead seemed like 20-0. But the comeback for the Reds began in the fourth, with Espinal the keynote.
Spencer Steer began the fourth against Milwaukee starter Dayton Lane (DL) Hall by reaching on an infield single. Hall was making his first start since April 20, coming off the injured list.
Stuart Fairchild drew a one-out walk, but Ty France and Marte struck out. Hill hit TJ Friedl with the first pitch, filling the bases, and Espinal drilled a two-run single to right to tie it, 2-2.
“Hill was throwing his change-up alot,” said Espinal. “It was a good pitch and I made contact with it and I got the two RBI.”
The Reds took a 3-2 lead in the fifth when Tyler Stephenson launched an opposite-field home run to right field with two outs, his 15th homer.
The Brewers tied it in the sixth when Lodolo walked Gary Sanchez with one out. When Contreras doubled, sending Sanchez to third, Lodolo’s day was done.
Buck Farmer replaced him and gave up a run-scoring single to Adames to tie it 3-3. Espinal’s big play of throwing out Contreras at home followed.
Lodolo only gave up three hits in 5 1/3 innings, but the walk and the home run did him in and the third run was charged to him when Farmer gave up the single to Adames.
Espinal, Stephenson and Steer teamed to produce the go-ahead and winning run in the seventh against relief pitcher Joe Ross.
Espinal opened the inning with another single and took second on India’s grounder to the pitcher. The Brewers walked De La Cruz intentionally and Ross walked Stephenson on a full count, filling the bases. Steer drove a deep sacrifice fly to left and it was 4-3.
The Brewers put a runner on first with one out in seventh, but Espinal started a 4-6-3 double play on Rookie of the Year candidate Jackson Chourio.
They muzzled him tightly the entire series — 0 for 10 with a walk and three strikeouts.
And Chourio was the principle in a baseball rarity. In the fifth inning, Sal Frelick drew a leadoff walk from Lodolo. With two strikes on Chourio, Frelick broke for second.
Chourio struck out and in frustration slammed his bat into the ground and as it bounced, catcher Stephenson’s throw hit the bat. It was batter’s interference, so both Chourio and Frelick were out.
Sam Moll walked Sanchez with one out in the eighth, but he was erased on a De La Cruz to Espinal to France double play.
Of his offensive heat wave despite limited playing time and playing third base, some shortstop, some second base, some left field and some right field, Espinal said, “I would say preparation, y’know. And make sure I’m good mentally and physically. Just go out there and compete and try to win a ball game.”
He nearly won one by himself Sunday.
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