CLEVELAND -- From one All-Star to another, Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett nearly defied gravity with an athletic play to get Indians slugger Jose Ramirez at Progressive Field in Monday's 7-5 win over the Tribe.
With a runner on and two outs in the third inning, Ramirez hit a sharp grounder to Joey Votto that deflected off the All-Star first baseman's glove. Gennett, who was ranging left to back up Votto, who was diving to his right, barehanded the ball and threw to first to get Ramirez. The Indians called for replay and the call stood, ending the frame.
The play was payback for Gennett, who was robbed in the first inning after scorching a liner to the right-field warning track. But he was denied by Tyler Naquin, who dove onto the warning track to take away extra bases and an RBI. Per Statcast™, the hit went approximately 330 feet and had a 62 percent hit probability.
Gennett, Votto and third baseman Eugenio Suarez will be representing the Reds at the 2018 MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard in Washington D.C. It will mark the first All-Star appearance for Gennett and Suarez, while Votto was selected for the sixth time. Ramirez is one of five players -- along with Francisco Lindor, Michael Brantley, Corey Kluber and Trevor Bauer -- to represent the Tribe for the American League.