CINCINNATI -- Scooter Gennett was soaked from head to toe after Reds teammates Bronson Arroyo and Amir Garrett dumped two coolers of liquid on him. It was just one way the utility player was recognized after an historic four-home-run game that helped defeat the Cardinals, 13-1.
Another came later, out of the public eye. Gennett was asked to give up that same wet uniform -- along with his bat and spikes -- for authentication. The items will be divided up among the National Baseball Hall of Fame, the Reds Hall of Fame and Gennett -- who went 5-for-5, and became the first player in team history to hit four homers in a game. He also became the second to collect 10 RBIs.
"Mike Cameron hit four home runs [on May 2] when I was with Seattle in 2002 in Chicago at Comiskey Park," said Reds manager Bryan Price, who was the Mariners' pitching coach then. "It was another one of those nights. You didn't think he'd hit four in one game. Three in one game is special. Certainly, those two are sitting neck-and-neck as by far and away the best offensive performances I've ever seen."
On Tuesday, the crowd of 18,620 was quick to its feet in celebration in the eighth inning after Gennett slugged Cardinals reliever John Brebbia's 0-2 pitch into the right-field seats for his fourth homer of the game. Having already given him a curtain call in the sixth following his third homer -- against John Gant -- the crowd summoned Gennett for a second one in appreciation of the rare feat that has been done only 17 times in Major League history.
Not only were fans pulling for Gennett, the Reds also appreciated what they were witnessing.
"It was incredible; absolutely incredible. Speechless, really," catcher Tucker Barnhart said. "Scooter works extremely hard, and has been through a lot. A new organization at the end of Spring Training, and was asked to come off of the bench in a multitude of roles that he hasn't really done in the big leagues during his career. But he comes to work every day, and keeps the clubhouse light. He's a pleasure to play with.
"Everybody in the dugout was obviously hopeful that he would hit a homer. We didn't know what would happen. Then he got to two strikes and it was, 'Here we go. Is he going to punch out or is he going to homer?' Sure enough, he hit a homer."
Gennett, who snapped an 0-for-19 funk with a game-winning, two-run double in Monday's 4-2 contest, enjoyed that support in the dugout. He did not join the Reds until he was claimed off waivers from the Brewers on March 28, one game before the end of Spring Training.
"My teammates were awesome the whole time, letting me know what I needed to do, how many home runs I had each point," said Gennett, who was filling in Cincinnati's lineup for regular left fielder Adam Duvall.
Price was waiting for Gennett in the dugout when he finished rounding the bases following his final homer.
"I gave him a hug and said, 'You're unreal.' There was not really a whole lot any of us could say, other than just kind of look at him," Price said.
Reds pitcher Tim Adleman may have been the biggest beneficiary of Gennett's night, while having the most overlooked performance. Adleman pitched seven strong innings, with one run and three hits allowed.
Working with a big lead certainly made Adleman's job easier.
"It's always nice when Scooter Gennett is on your team, you know what I mean?" Adleman said.