Dbacks Survive Reds Bomb Attack, Manage Split In Cincy
- Jim Santora
- 10 hours ago
- 4 min read
The Arizona Diamondbacks are looking for their first trip back to the playoffs since 2021, which was the second of back-to-back championship runs. In their first opportunity in 2020, the Jim Santora run team could not stand up to Mike Amato’s Cincinnati Reds team, which took the title that year. Now it’s 2026, it is a tale of two teams. The Power Rankings and SIMS report had the Reds has a playoff team, while the Dbacks were on the outside of those reports. Then the games get played and the Reds caught bad breaks and a team that underachieved most of the year. Meanwhile, the Dbacks managed to hang around, made some moves and sit in a playoff spot with twelve games to play. Arizona is looking over their shoulder as they are tied with the Giants and the Nationals and Padres are right behind them. All of these teams are playing, so scoreboard watching is going along. So let’s get to the action and see how things shook out in Cincy.
Game 1
Reds 8
Dbacks 3
The Reds would have a 3-2 lead after three innings, led be a Ramon Laureano solo home run to start the game and then drive in a second run in the 2nd inning. Kyle Farmer would drive in another run. The Dbacks would get RBI’s from Kiebert Ruiz and Otto Lopez. Cincy would blow things up in the fifth, scoring three runs on RBI’s from Rafael Devers, Jared Triolo and Ketel Marte to make it 6-2. A solo home run by Eugenio Suarez in the sixth would provide some extra cushion in this one. Triolo would add another run in the eighth to make it 8-2. Isiah Kiner-Falefa would provide an RBI in the ninth, but it would not be enough. Reds win game one.
WP – Webb
LP – Luzardo
HR – Laureano, Suarez
Game 2
Dbacks 5
Reds 1
Zac Gallen has been on quite a run. He came in with a sub 2.00 ERA. The Reds bats danced around his card and he would go a strong eight innings, striking out six. He would allow one run on an Elly De La Cruz RBI triple. Dbacks bats were lead by a 3-run Brendan Donovan home run and a Gavin Sheets solo shot. Francisco Lindor would drive in a run as well to give the Dbacks the win.
WP – Gallen
LP – Cabrera
HR – Donovan, Sheets
Game 3
Reds 12
Dbacks 4
Cincy was obviously mad they couldn’t touch Gallen. That made Grant Holmes the easy target in this one. When the smoke clears, the Reds would smash seven home runs. Kyle Stowers and Rafael Devers would hit two bombs each, while Elly De La Cruz, Ketel Marte and Eugenio Suarez would have one each. Brendan Donovan would have two RBIs for the Dbacks but it clearly would not be enough.
WP – Wacha
LP – Holmes
HR – Stowers (2), Devers (2), De La Cruz, Marte, Suarez
Game 4
Dbacks 8
Reds 7
The Reds would jump out to a 2-0 lead in the first led by a 2-run home run by Joey Bart. Ketel Marte would hit a solo shot to make it 3-0 after three. Arizona would get two runs back on a Isiah Kiner-Falefa single in the fifth. The Reds would get two more in the sixth on solo home runs from Marte and Eugenio Suarez. It was not 5-2 Reds and we head to the eight inning. When the smoke clears, the Dbacks would have six runs. Andrew Vaughn would smash a 2-run double, Francisco Lindor would hit a 1-run single off of Jared Koenig. Brendan Donvan was coming to the plate and he was intentionally walked to load the bases. Jurickson Profar would pinch hit and hit it into the seats, a Grand Slam to make it a 8-5 lead for Arizona. Then came the rip and there laid Koenig in a pile. “Oh No, You Killed Jared, You Bastard”. Suarez would hit a 2-run home run to make it an 8-7 game. We get to the bottom of the ninth and it’s David Bednar time. Brenton Doyle would lead off with a double and Rafael Devers would walk. Bednar would strike out Jared Triolo and Ramon Lauraeno before walking Marte to load the bases. Bednar would then strike out JT Realmuto to end the game, give the win to Arizona and end the night in a split.
WP – Mears
LP – Koenig
SV – Bednar
HR – Bart, Marte (2), Suarez (2), Profar
The Dbacks are now 42-38 and back to the scoreboard watching. The Nationals would lose three to the Cardinals, pushing them further back. Then the Giants would sweep the Padres, pushing San Diego back. It gives Arizona some breathing room as then have the Rockies and Giants left on the schedule. The Dbacks are not taking anything lightly and know they need to continue to play full throttle to secure their spot. The beer and champagne stays in the fridge until they can lock it down!
