MINNEAPOLIS -- In a long season, all 26 players on an MLB roster get chances to be the difference-maker in a given situation. Even a guy who was hitless in his previous 28 at-bats.
Rece Hinds contributed to two late rallies with a base hit and a sacrifice fly, and Dane Myers singled home the go-ahead run in the top of the ninth as the Reds won their second straight game over the Twins, 5-4, Saturday at Target Field.
At 13-8, Cincinnati is off to its best start since 2006.
“I don't want to get too carried away, but I love our competitiveness and the will to keep playing,” said manager Terry Francona, whose team scored single runs in the seventh, eighth and ninth innings to overcome a 4-2 deficit. “And guys pick each other up.”
Hinds, who was called up from Triple-A Louisville on April 14, hadn’t collected a Major League hit since June 28 of last year. His skid reached 28 at-bats before he led off the seventh inning with a base hit.
“It's just trusting the process, trusting the work that I put in every single day and trusting my routine that I'm prepared for the game,” Hinds said of maintaining confidence through a slump.
The Reds trailed 4-2 entering the seventh, but after Hinds singled, he used his speed to stay out of a double play on Ke’Bryan Hayes’ grounder to short. Three batters later, Hinds scored from second on an Elly De La Cruz single to cut the Reds’ deficit to one run.
With runners on the corners and one out in the eighth, Hinds hit a fly ball to center field. Eugenio Suárez broke from third base when Ryan Kreidler made the catch, and Matt McLain made sure Suárez scored the tying run by getting caught in a rundown between first and second.
“I don't think that throw gets Suárez at home, but he's not the fleetest of foot,” Francona said. “That’s a heads-up play right there [by McLain].”
It was Myers’ turn to play the hero in the ninth inning. Pinch-hitter Spencer Steer led off with a ground ball to the left side of the infield off Twins reliever Cole Sands (0-1). Shortstop Brooks Lee couldn’t come up with a backhanded attempt and the play was ruled a hit.
TJ Friedl then sacrificed Steer to second, and Myers delivered him with a soft single to center field.
“It's just awesome looking down at the lineup, and everyone can contribute in any way possible,” Hinds said. “Whether it's a home run, a quality AB, move the runner, sac fly -- any of those types of things. We’ve got all that in the lineup, and it's just cool to be able to see it have some success.”
Tony Santillan earned his first save of the year by retiring the side in order in the ninth inning. That made a winner of reliever Kyle Nicolas (1-0), who struck out the side in the eighth inning.
In the process, the Reds became the fourth team in MLB history to win each of their first 10 games decided by two or fewer runs in a single season. They joined the 1987 Brewers, Cleveland in 1966 and the 1946 Red Sox.
Much of the credit to the late-and-close success has gone to the bullpen, which provided another 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief on Saturday.
“They've done a good job at helping starters out that have struggled in games or closing it down -- whatever situation that they need to do, they step up and they do it,” said Reds starter Andrew Abbott, who gave up four runs (three earned) in 4 2/3 innings.
“It's a long season, so I know the starters will continue to get better, continue going deep into games to save those guys a few more times,” he added. “But for right now, they're picking us up.”
All that on a day when a 19-mph wind made the gametime temperature of 39 degrees feel more like a January night than an April afternoon.
“I just like the life and the enthusiasm and the competitiveness,” Francona said. “They kept playing. There's something to be said for that.”