Maybe it shouldn't be called a "walk-off" when the play in question was actually a steal of home.
But either way, Reds prospect Kien Vu took matters into his own hands -- or actually legs -- racing home on a straight steal to lift High-A Dayton past Fort Wayne, 5-4, on Thursday night at Day Air Ballpark.
Deuces were wild during Vu's mad dash home in the ninth: With two outs, there were two balls and two strikes on batter Peyton Stovall, who happily watched his teammate soar past him on a headfirst dive across the plate to set off a raucous celebration among his fellow Dragons.
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With the score tied, 4-4, entering the ninth, Vu worked a four-pitch walk with one out. Another free pass and a hit batsman loaded the bases for Dayton, and after a strikeout, Stovall stepped to the plate and took the count to 2-2.
Fort Wayne southpaw C.J. Widger (Padres), who entered the game one batter earlier, came to a long set and Vu took advantage. Catcher Oswaldo Linares stepped forward and tried to get his teammate's attention, but Widger's throw was high and late, enabling Vu to swipe his 20th base of the season.
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A ninth-round pick out of Arizona State last year, Vu has been solid in his first full-season campaign. The Houston native has formed a dynamic 1-2 punch in the middle of Dayton's lineup with Alfredo Duno (CIN No. 1/MLB No. 23).
Vu has an .889 OPS on the strength of 33 walks and 25 extra-base hits in 59 games. He's been especially hot this month, hitting safely in eight of nine games while slashing .344/.500/.781.
The 22-year-old put together a strong debut in 2025, when he hit .273 with a .903 OPS over 23 games for Single-A Daytona.
Batting in the three-hole on Thursday, Vu reached base three times on a single and a triple, drove in two runs and scored twice ... including the sprint home that lifted the Dragons to a walk-off win.
Or whatever you want to call it.