Daylen Lile hit a two-run homer in the top of the 10th inning and the visiting Washington Nationals held on to beat the Cincinnati Reds 8-7 on Tuesday.
Lile, a Louisville product who hit two homers in his first game at Great American Ball Park on Monday, homered off Tony Santillan (1-2) with one out and automatic runner CJ Abrams on second.
In the bottom of the 10th, Spencer Steer hit a shot to left off PJ Poulin, and a fan reached over the fence to catch it. A crew-chief review confirmed spectator interference, and Steer was given a double as automatic runner Sal Stewart scored. Tyler Stepenson walked with two outs, but Blake Dunn grounded out as Poulin earned his second save.
Keibert Ruiz also homered and Abrams had two doubles for the Nationals, who trailed 5-0 after one inning. Lile added a single and sacrifice fly.
Washington reliever Gus Varland (1-1) pitched a scoreless ninth inning despite allowing a leadoff double to Matt McLain.
Stephenson belted a grand slam while Elly De La Cruz (2-for-5) produced his fifth straight multi-hit game for the Reds.
The Reds sent nine men to the plate in the first and scored five runs. De La Cruz singled with one out, went to second on a flyout and scored on JJ Bleday’s double. Steer and Nathaniel Lowe walked to load the bases, and Stephenson hit his grand slam to center off Jake Irvin.
Washington came right back in the second. Abrams doubled and Jacob Young singled him to third. Abrams scored on Lile’s sacrifice fly and Young came home on Joey Wiemer’s double. Ruiz homered off Nick Lodolo to pull the Nationals within 5-4.
In the Washington third, Curtis Mead was hit by a pitch and later scored on a bases-loaded walk by Wiemer.
Cincinnati took a 6-5 in the bottom half after Steer led off with a single and Lowe walked. TJ Friedl hit a potential double-play grounder, but Abrams’ relay throw was wide of first and Steer scored.
Young singled leading off the fifth, went to third on Lile’s single and scored on a groundout by Luis Garcia Jr.
–Field Level Media
