Noelvi Marte connected for a two-run single in the bottom of the ninth to lift the Cincinnati Reds to a 5-4 walk-off win against the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Monday.
Marte knocked his first hit of the day into left field off reliever Brendon Little (4-2), driving in Matt McLain and TJ Friedl.
Cincinnati narrowed it to 4-3 when Ke’Bryan Hayes scored on a ground-rule double from Friedl. Hayes and McLain each singled against reliever Tommy Nance, who was then replaced by Little.
Friedl’s double initially drove in two runs to tie the game, but Toronto challenged, and the call was overturned after review showed the ball got stuck in the bullpen fence in right field. That sent McLain back to third base.
Hunter Greene threw 6 1/3 innings, striking out seven while limiting Toronto to one run on five hits. The Reds have won two straight after a five-game losing streak.
Chris Bassitt fanned six and gave up two runs on five hits over six innings for the Blue Jays, who have lost three of four.
Toronto went ahead 4-2 in the top of the ninth. With Myles Straw on as a pinch runner, Bichette (4-for-4) belted a two-run homer to right-center against closer Emilio Pagan, and Daulton Varsho followed with a solo shot to right. Pagan was then replaced by Yosver Zulueta (1-0), who retired the next two batters.
Cincinnati took a 2-0 lead in the second inning. After Gavin Lux doubled and Sal Stewart — the Reds’ top prospect making his major league debut — singled, Hayes connected for a double that drove the pair in.
Greene kept the Blue Jays at bay through six innings, limiting them to just three hits.
Toronto finally broke through in the seventh. Bichette connected for his second double of the day to lead off the inning. It was his 42nd of the season, breaking a tie with Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals and taking sole possession of the major league lead.
Greene then walked Varsho, and Alejandro Kirk followed up with a single that brought in Bichette to cut it to 2-1.
–Field Level Media
