CINCINNATI (AP) — With one out in the ninth inning and the Diamondbacks trailing by a run, Josh Rojas worked Reds reliever Tony Santillan to a full count and looked for another fastball.
Santillan — who already had hurt himself with a wild pitch and a throwing error in the inning — gave him what he wanted, serving up a 97 mph four-seamer down and away to Rojas, who hit it past a drawn-in infield to score two runs.
“I went up there with a with the approach to stay on the heater and react to the slider,” Rojas said after the 5-4 win that earned the Diamondbacks a split of the four-game series. “He actually threw me a first-pitch slider, I got a good swing on and fouled it off. Once I did that, I felt pretty comfortable to stay on the heater and try to drive something. I got put in a really good situation.”
The @DBacks score 4 in the 9th to complete the comeback W!
(MLB x @Googlecloud) pic.twitter.com/JjLG69RufB
— MLB (@MLB) June 9, 2022
The Diamondbacks went into the ninth trailing 3-1, but got help from Santillan’s wild tosses.
Pavin Smith drew a leadoff walk, went to second on a wild pitch by Santillan (0-1) and scored on Alek Thomas’ single. Santillan then threw away a bunt for an error, and a sacrifice set up the two-run single by Rojas, who later scored on a grounder.
The blown lead by the Reds wasted a solid pitching performance by starter Tyler Mahle, who allowed one run and four hits with a season-high 10 strikeouts over six innings. His biggest mistake was a fastball left in the middle of the zone that Smith snuck just inside the right-field foul pole for a homer leading off the Arizona fifth.
Mark Melancon (2-6), the second of three relievers for the Diamondbacks, got the win. Ian Kennedy pitched the ninth for his fourth save, despite allowing Matt Reynolds’ solo homer.
“That’s the beauty of this team,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “They’ve got a great heartbeat. There was never any panic in the dugout. We felt like if kept scratching and clawing and we got into their bullpen, we’d give ourselves a chance. Their starting pitcher was very good.”
The Reds scored three in the first inning when TJ Friedl, Brandon Drury and Tommy Pham each singled to load the bases with no outs and Joey Votto doubled home two runs. Kyle Farmer added a sacrifice fly.
The Reds were relatively quiet after that. Zach Davies went six for the Diamondbacks, allowing six hits while striking out seven.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks DH Christian Walker left the game after he was hit in the helmet by a fastball from Alexis Diaz in the eighth.
RHP Luke Weaver (elbow) will be evaluated on Friday for a potential start on Sunday.
UP NEXT
The D-backs start a three-game series with the Phillies in Philadelphia on Friday at 4:05 p.m. on ESPN 620 AM / 98.7 FM HD-2.
Arizona RHP Zac Gallen (4-1, 2.40 ERA) is scheduled to start against Philadelphia RHP Kyle Gibson (3-2, 4.40 ERA).