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 ni nth 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…