PHOENIX — The Cincinnati Reds beat the Arizona Diamondbacks in a bizarre game Saturday night in Phoenix.
T.J. Friedl scored the game-winning run after a two-out, two-strike balk as the Reds beat the Diamondbacks, 8-7.
He scored on Nabil Crismatt’s balk and Lucas Sims got the final three outs for his third save of the season.
Cincinnati trailed 4-2 in the ninth inning but Tyler Stephenson’s RBI double off Diamondbacks closer Paul Seward cut it to 4-3. He scored on an RBI groundout by Matt McClain to tie it a 4-4
The game went into the tenth inning as the Reds scored three times. Spencer Street’s RBI double drove in Elly De La Cruz to put them ahead, 5-4. Nick Martini added a ground-rule double and Christian Encarnacion-Strand’s RBI single extended it to 7-4.
Arizona scored three times in their half of the tenth to tie the game. Geraldo Perdomo’s RBI single cut it to 7-5. Corbin Carroll followed with a walk and Tommy Pham hit what appeared a routine ground ball but McClain misplayed for an error and Perdomo scored. Christian Walker’s sacrifice fly tied the game at 7-7.
The Reds had runners at first and third with two outs in the 11th. Crismatt flinched on an 0-2 count and second-base umpire C.B. Bucknor called a balk allowing Friedl to score.
Sims retired three straight Arizona hitters to finish the game.
Cincinnati will play at Arizona later this afternoon at 4:30 p.m.