CINCINNATI (AP) — Brandon Drury reached 20 homers for the first time in his big league career — when he hit a tiebreaking drive in the eighth inning to give the Cincinnati Reds a 3-2 win over the Baltimore Orioles on Sunday.
Drury broke a 2-2 tie in the eighth with his homer on a splitter off Felix Bautista (3-3).
″I was trying to stay on the fastball,” Drury said. “I was a little bit late on one. I was trying to cover for the split. He threw the split and I barreled it.”
Drury, whose previous high was 16 homers for Arizona in 2016, entered as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning.
“Really good players, great players want to be up in that spot,” Reds manager David Bell said.
Cincinnati went 14-12 in July following a 6-4 homestand.
Alexis Díaz (3-1) won despite allowing a tying home run in the eighth to Anthony Santander.
Buck Farmer got his first career save in six chances after an eventful ninth inning.
“It has been a long time coming, six years now. I’m ecstatic. It is another thing I can mark off in my career,” Farmer said. “I was coming in regardless but when Brandon hit the home run, Lee Tunnel gave me a football play. He told me it was third and goal on the 1, and we’re giving you the ball.”
Rougned Odor appeared to reach leading off on a bunt when first base umpire Larry Vanover ruled Odor beat the throw from first baseman Ryan Mountcastle to Farmer covering the base.
While the Reds were out of challenges, a crew chief video review reversed the call.
Terrin Vavra, pinch hitting in the pitcher’s spot after designated hitter Adley Rutschman replaced Robinson Chirinos at catcher in the seventh inning, walked with two outs.
Trey Mancini followed with a game-ending groundout.
Santander had three hits, including his 19th homer, and extended his hitting streak to 11 games.
Reds rookie Nick Lodolo allowed one run and four hits in six innings with seven strikeouts.
Orioles starter Austin Voth gave up four hits in five scoreless innings with six strikeouts and no walks.
“He was outstanding to the max,” Baltimore manager Brandon Hyde said. “We’re just not doing enough offensively to help these guys out.”
Cincinnati took a 2-0 lead in the sixth when Joey Votto beat the shift with an RBI-single to left and Kyle Farmer hit a sacrifice fly.
Cedric Mullins hit a sacrifice fly in the seventh.
START ME UP
Mancini hit leadoff for the first time this season and went 0 for 5 with two strikeouts. Mancini had 53 previous career starts in the leadoff spot.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: RHP Hunter Strickland will return from the bereavement list on Monday.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Hunter Greene (3-12, 5.59) was to start Monday at Miami.
