Cincinnati also got some luck when Billy Hamilton wasn’t called out despite clearly leaving the base path to avoid a tag.
"Houdini" Hamilton with the sweet escape!#RunBillyRun 🏃🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/GRMcEs8JGv
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 13, 2018
That kept the bases loaded for Joey Votto, who smacked a three-run triple into the gap in right-center field.
Repeat after us:
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 13, 2018
Joey Votto is clutch.
Joey Votto hits with runners in scoring position.
Joey Votto hits, PERIOD.#VoteVotto ☑️ https://t.co/HKf2mrrBht pic.twitter.com/4RvIvcNtZf
Obviously one game does not a season make, but it is nice to have something to feel good about once in a while.
Since we know Votto is great and expected the team to hit, the biggest development is of course Romano.
He gave up four or more runs in each of his previous five starts but gave up only four hits to the Royals, whose only run came on a solo homer.
"He trusted his fastball and didn't care who the hitter was," said Reds catcher Tucker Barnhart, who hit the tying home run in the ninth inning. "He was going to go and pitch to his strengths. He was phenomenal. We were out there grinding for him trying to get him some runs. He pitched so well and he deserved that win. Just glad the team came up with a victory today."
Amazingly he was the first Red to pitch eight innings in a game this season and just the second to log even seven.
Of course, the level of competition probably helped.
The Reds actually have a better record than the Royals if you can believe it. Not only that, Kansas City has been outscored by about 40 more runs on the season, too.
Votto continued to put an RBI drought behind him, raised his batting average to .309 and gets major points for telling Jim Day of Fox Sports Ohio after the game he doesn’t like to DH.
Hitting a triple. Getting to DH. And winning in extras on the road.
— FOX Sports Ohio (@FOXSportsOH) June 13, 2018
Just another classic @Reds postgame conversation between Joey Votto and @JimDayTV. 😂 pic.twitter.com/PJuMrDHsOW
Even before the Reds’ late-night excitement, it was a busy day on the Dayton Daily News sports page.
Here are some gems you don't want to miss: Some NBA experts think former Dayton Flyer Kostas Antetokounmpo could be drafted… Carlos Dunlap is back in Cincinnati this week and has some interesting thoughts on his potential new contract… Billy Price is close to being cleared... Tyler Eifert was mysteriously absent from the field on the first day of minicamp… the quarterback the Bengals chose in the seventh round of the draft got himself into trouble off the field.… Wright State Hall of Famer Vitaly Potapenko has a new job… Centerville freshman quarterback Chase Harrison is already on the radar of major colleges, including Ohio State... the first quarterback of the Buckeyes to win the Rose Bowl passed away... and I unveiled the first edition of my new series of participatory journalism!
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