Stuart Fairchild got Cincinnati’s first hit since the fourth inning with a one-out double in the 10th inning, breaking a tie and giving the Reds a 3-2 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday night.
Jeimer Candelario had the other runs for Cincinnati with a double in the first inning. Nick Martinez (4-5) pitched two scoreless innings, and closer Alexis Diaz got his 20th save in 22 tries for the Reds, who have now won three games in a row after losing three straight right after the All-Star break.
“Finding a way to get it done,” manager David Bell said. “Every game is huge at this point,” Reds starting pitcher Nick Lodolo said. “We know where we’re at and we know what’s at stake.”
The Rays were playing their first game since trading star outfielder Randy Arozarena to Seattle. They also made another move that could hurt their chances of making the playoffs for a sixth straight season by trading starting pitcher Zach Eflin to Baltimore before their game against the Reds.
Arozarena watched part of the game from the left-field stands, in the area once called “Randy Land” at Tropicana Field. This section was especially popular on Friday nights, with fans getting free Arozarena-themed T-shirts with their tickets.
Rays manager Kevin Cash noticed Arozarena at the game.
“I just gave him a big hug a minute ago. I want him to go and enjoy the new team,” Cash said. “That was a nice thing he did to go and see a bunch of his fans out in left field.”
The Reds only had two hits off Shane Baz: Candelario’s two-run double in the first inning and Tyler Stephenson’s single in the fourth. Fairchild’s double down the left field line against Manuel Rodriguez (1-2) gave Cincinnati the lead for good.
