Energized Reds conjure winning rally
CINCINNATI -- Too often during the Reds' stretch of 10 losses in 11 games, it seemed as though once they fell behind, they stayed behind until the last out. But not on Friday in a 5-2 win over the Nationals.
The Nats certainly didn't take an insurmountable lead when they scored a run against Anthony DeSclafani in the top of the sixth to make it a 2-1 game, but the Reds came back strong, with three runs in the bottom of the sixth and one more in the seventh.
"We hadn't been doing that," said shortstop Zack Cozart, who went 3-for-5. "It's like we give up some runs and then we kind of take three or four innings before we even get anything going. [That] they score runs [and] we come back and go back at them, I think, is big, so hopefully we can build off that offensively and come out [on Saturday] and win a series."
Video: WSH@CIN: Cozart slaps a run-scoring single to center
The Reds built a rally against reliever Taylor Jordan in the sixth, with Marlon Byrd's one-out walk and Skip Schumaker's double putting runners on second and third with one out. Pinch-hitter Brandon Phillips skied a sacrifice fly to left field, and Byrd tagged up from third and bolted for home. The throw from Michael Taylor beat Byrd, but catcher Wilson Ramos dropped the ball just before a collision with Byrd at the plate.
Video: WSH@CIN: Phillips plates Byrd on a pinch-hit sac fly
Billy Hamilton followed with a bloop RBI single to short center and Cozart added a lined RBI single to center field off Aaron Barrett.
Video: WSH@CIN: Hamilton singles to center, Schumaker scores
"We fought back. That was, to me, great to see. We really had a great situational inning," said manager Bryan Price, who led a team meeting following Wednesday's loss to the Rockies. "There were a lot of things that were good. This is what we've been working for, to start playing better baseball."
Facing Blake Treinen in the seventh, Todd Frazier tattooed a long solo homer to left field for a three-run lead.
Video: WSH@CIN: Frazier belts a solo homer to deep left
The Reds, now 20-27, have a ways to go before they can emerge from the deep hole they're in. Games like Friday's could be a start.
"We have to be competitive when we're down," said first baseman Joey Votto. "We have to always be on the attack. We need to come out with more wins. It hasn't been a very good month for us. It hasn't been a very good stretch for us. The only way we do that is having games like tonight, over and over and over again. It's the only chance we have."