SAN FRANCISCO -- Facing an ever-growing issue of the Reds lineup lacking run production, manager Terry Francona tried something new and moved struggling rookie Héctor Rodríguez into the leadoff spot for Wednesday's series finale against the Giants.
It put Rodríguez ahead of Elly De La Cruz, who led off every game since June 27. But beyond De La Cruz and Sal Stewart, finding ways to score has been elusive. They were held to one or fewer runs in nine of the previous 17 games.
“Maybe it gives Héctor a little [boost]. We’re trying to figure out a way to get our lineup longer,” Francona said before the game. “This is what we came up with.”
Francona, who said he commiserated with coaches Freddie Benavides and Mike Napoli before making the decision, stuck with the original plan even after the Giants revealed only three hours before first pitch that ace Logan Webb was moved up to start.
Consider the lineup properly stretched, especially in desperation time.
Rodríguez reached safely three times and hit two home runs, with his second sparking a seven-run ninth inning while 11 men came to bat in the Reds’ 10-9 victory over the Giants that prevented a three-game series sweep.
Cincinnati trailed, 9-3, in the top of the ninth inning when it mounted a big comeback effort. Rodríguez got it started when he slugged a leadoff homer over the right-field seats and into the water of McCovey Cove. After reliever Spencer Bivens loaded the bases with no outs, Eugenio Suárez's grand slam to left-center field off Dylan Smith made it a one-run game.
Dane Myers reached on a bunt single to third base and advanced on a throwing error before Matt McLain also bunted for a single that put runners on the corners. Still with no outs, McLain stole second base and took third when Jose Trevino tied the game with a sacrifice fly to right field.
That enabled McLain to score the go-ahead run on pinch-hitter Tyler Stephenson's RBI single to left field.
It was the Reds' first win when trailing by six runs entering the ninth inning since May 8, 1958, vs. the Cubs.