Spencer Steer hit a grand slam in the 10th inning to help the Cincinnati Reds win 6-3 against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday night. Steer hit a fastball off Connor Brogdon to secure the victory for his team.
“It feels good,” Steer said. “I’m glad I could contribute positively to the team. I enjoy being in those high-pressure situations. It was a really special moment for me. I was just happy to help out the team.”
Bryce Harper didn’t have a good night, going hitless in his return to the Phillies’ lineup after a day off. He played first base and batted third, but he struggled at the plate, striking out twice and going 0 for 5.
“It’s all about timing for him,” said Philadelphia manager Rob Thomson. “He’ll find his rhythm.” Harper had a chance to tie the game in the 10th inning, but he struck out with runners on second and third. Reds manager David Bell chose not to walk Harper intentionally, trusting his pitcher to get the job done.
“We considered it, for sure,” Bell said. “Harper is a great hitter. But sometimes, you have to trust your players. You never want him at-bat in that situation, but tonight, we managed to handle it.”
With Bubba Thompson on second base to start the 10th inning, Brogdon walked two batters before facing Steer, who hit the game-winning home run. “You can’t make mistakes like that to a professional hitter,” Brogdon admitted.
The game was played in cold, drizzly weather, making it feel even colder than the reported temperature of 52 degrees. The weather is expected to be even worse for the next game on Tuesday. Thomson didn’t rest Harper on Monday but didn’t make any promises about Tuesday’s game.
Harper, who is playing first base this season after elbow surgery, had a tough time against the Reds’ pitching, striking out once and making some outs with runners on base.
“It was a good strategy against him,” said Reds starter Andrew Abbott, who pitched 5 1/3 innings. “We had a plan to keep him off-balance, and it worked well for us.” The Phillies took an early lead with Bohm’s two-run double in the first inning, but the Reds fought back to tie the game in the sixth inning. Alexis Diaz got the win for the Reds.
