The Reds were down a run, 7-6, with two outs and a runner on second in the ninth. One pitch and the game is over and the Reds lose.
That brought up Spencer Steer, 0 for 4 and he had stranded four runners in those at bats.
Ka-boom.
Spencer launched a space shuttle shot, a 439-foot home run that put the Reds on top, 8-7.
A one-run lead in Coors Field is as safe as a man standing in traffic in the fast lane on I-75 at rush hour.
With two outs, the next three Reds reached base and Colorado manager Bud Black brought in rookie Angel Chivilli.
And Jonathan India made it safe. Chivili’s second pitch cleared the left-field wall, India’s fourth career grand slam and a 12-7 lead.
“I just went up there wanting to get the job done because earlier in the game, big RBI situations with two outs, I didn’t come through,” said Steer during a post-game interview with Bally Sports Ohio.
“I just wanted to find a way to get that run in, just for the guys because I thouht I’d let them down in a couple of at bats in big spots,” he added. “I had big RBI situations with two outs and didn’t come through.”
Steer had not let his teammates down over his last five games. He had four straight multi-hit games before Wednesday and in the last five he is 11 for 23 with five RBI.
It gave the Reds a three-game sweep, their first in Coors Field in 12 years, gave them a 5-1 road trip and four straight victories.
Crazy things happen in Coors Field and Wednesday was one of the craziest.
Starter Graham Ashcraft gave up four runs in the first inning and the Rockies led, 4-0. And Steer dropped a pop foul that led to a run later in the game, Elly De La Cruz was thrown out trying to steal and Jake Fraley was picked off first base.
Ashcraft lasted only 3 1/3 innings, forcing manager David Bell to use eight pitchers.
The rescue came via a two-run home run by Jeimer Candelario in the second and a two-run home run by T.J. Friedl in the fifth, a 429-foot missile that landed in a trash can in the Reds bullpen.
But it wasn’t trash for the Reds. It tied the game, 4-4.
The Rockies bolted back ahead in the fifth when Elias Diaz homered off Nick Martinez and scored two off Justin Wilson in the seventh to take a 7-4 lead.
Then the fun began for the Reds in the eighth.
Fraley walked, Jacob Hurtubise tripled and scored on India’s sacrifice fly and the Reds were down, 7-6.
The ninth began when Colorado closer Jalen Beeks rustled Friedl’s sleeve with a pitch, a graze job. Colorado challenged but it was ruled a hit by pitch.
In addition to his two-run homer, Friedl walked leading off the game and was hit by pitches twice.
Friedl took second on a ground out by De La Cruz, who had a three-hit day. Candelario lined one to left and Brenton Doyle made a diving, rolling catch.
Two outs, Reds a run down. But the Rockies couldn’t steer clear of Steer.
“That was a great rally (in the ninth), especially Jonathan’s grand slam to top it off,” said Steer. “There is a lot of fight in this team. It hasn’t really shown up with the results, but process and the fight is still there, we’re going to keep it rolling.”
After every starter contributed at least one hit in Monday’s 13-3 win, and every starter but rookie Blake Dunn collecting hits in Tuesday’s 4-1 win, every starter once again chipped in Wednesday.
De La Cruz led with three hits and Candelario added a pair to Cincinnati’s 12-hit attack.
Friedl was on base four times and scored three runs, India drove in four while Friedl and Candelario each drove in two.
It didn’t look good when the first two Reds reached base in the first and they didn’t score after Friedl’s walk and De La Cruz’s single put runners on third and first with no outs. But De La Cruz was caught stealing, Candelario struck out and Steer lined out to leaping third baseman Ryan McMahon.
Then Ashcraft gave up three straight singles to open the bottom of the first and five singles that led to four runs.
The Reds, though, had no quit. During the three-game sweep 22 of their 29 runs came with two outs.
“That’s what good teams do, find a way to make stuff happen with two outs” said Steer. “That can be a real back-breaker for teams, thinking they are one pitch way of getting out of big situations.
“That’s a great job by our offense and our offense has been rolling,” he added.
And the Rally Reds are back.
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