CINCINNATI — Edwin Encarnacion's bat and Ryan Freel's arm keyed another dramatic win for the surging Cincinnati Reds.
Freel threw out the potential go-ahead run at home in the top of the ninth and Encarnacion, who had homered earlier, drove in Norris Hopper with a game-winning single in the bottom of the inning to give the Reds a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.
The walk-off win was the second in two nights and third of the week for the Reds, who improved to 4-1 on their current homestand. They have won eight of their last nine at Great American Ball Park.
"I'd rather some laughers," said manager Pete Mackanin, who watched closer David Weathers give up five hits and two runs to blow a 4-2 lead in the ninth. "What I like about our guys is, after (Chicago) tied the game, they didn't panic."
Mark DeRosa and Jason Kendall had run-scoring singles off Weathers, and the Cubs seemed ready to take the lead when pinch hitter Mike Fontenot lofted a bloop single to short center with Jacque Jones on second base and one out.
Freel bare-handed the ball and fired to catcher David Ross, who caught it and held on for the out as Jones ran into him.
After Weathers got the third out, Hopper led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to right. Pinch hitter Juan Castro sacrificed, and Encarnacion singled between diving third baseman Aramis Ramirez and the bag for the win.
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Freel threw out the potential go-ahead run at home in the top of the ninth and Encarnacion, who had homered earlier, drove in Norris Hopper with a game-winning single in the bottom of the inning to give the Reds a 5-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night.
The walk-off win was the second in two nights and third of the week for the Reds, who improved to 4-1 on their current homestand. They have won eight of their last nine at Great American Ball Park.
"I'd rather some laughers," said manager Pete Mackanin, who watched closer David Weathers give up five hits and two runs to blow a 4-2 lead in the ninth. "What I like about our guys is, after (Chicago) tied the game, they didn't panic."
Mark DeRosa and Jason Kendall had run-scoring singles off Weathers, and the Cubs seemed ready to take the lead when pinch hitter Mike Fontenot lofted a bloop single to short center with Jacque Jones on second base and one out.
Freel bare-handed the ball and fired to catcher David Ross, who caught it and held on for the out as Jones ran into him.
After Weathers got the third out, Hopper led off the bottom of the ninth with a single to right. Pinch hitter Juan Castro sacrificed, and Encarnacion singled between diving third baseman Aramis Ramirez and the bag for the win.
Discuss Add this link to... Bury
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