Cody Allen’s streak of consecutive saves is over.
The Reds rallied for two runs in the top of the ninth inning Wednesday night to beat the Indians, 4-3, at Progressive Field. It was Allen’s first blown save since Aug. 17 and ended a streak of 22 straight regular-season saves. Throw in Allen’s six postseason saves and he had converted 28 in a row.
Allen entered the ninth with a 3-2 lead, but Scooter Gennett and Tucker Barnhart greeted him with singles. Jose Peraza bunted into a force play at third and Billy Hamilton followed by hitting into what appeared to be a 3-6-3 double play to end the game.
There were fireworks exploding to celebrate the victory and players were exchanging high fives on the field, but the Reds weren’t ready to call it a night. They challenged the out call on the back end of the double play at first. After a review of 2:57, the call on the field was overturned and Hamilton was called safe.
Zack Cozart, with runners on the corners and two out, singled to left. Pinch-runner Arismendy Alcantra scored the tying run from third and Hamilton – running on the pitch – scored from first when left fielder Michael Brantley couldn’t retrieve the ball after his diving attempt came up empty.
“It’s kind of hard once you think the game is over and you let your emotion go,” said manager Terry Francona. “If there’s anybody that I would trust to reel it back in it’s Cody.
“But I think that’s a tough one. On one hand there was time (to regroup) because it took them a while to review it. But it’s hard on anybody and probably Cody the hardest.”
Until then it looked like Carlos Santana would be the hero of the night.
Yan Gomes drove in five runs on Sunday as the Indians beat Houston, 8-6. On Tuesday night in Cincinnati, Edwin Encarnacion homered twice and scored the winning run on wild pitch in a 8-7 win over the Reds. Santana took his turn in the spotlight on Wednesday as he drove in all three of the Tribe’s runs.
“When you can win a game where one guy really influences the outcome – Gomer did it in Houston, Edwin did it Tuesday. You have a chance to win games that maybe you wouldn’t win,” said Francona before Wednesday’s game. “It gives you a little bit of a boost.”
Santana went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a homer and three RBI. His double in the first bore no fruit, but he hit a two-run homer in the third off Lisalverto Bonilla for a 2-0 lead.
Defensively, it was Santana who started the game-ending 3-6-3 double play that wasn’t with a great throw to second on Hamilton’s grounder.
“That was as good a potential double play turn as you’re ever going to see,” said Francona. “To have a chance to get (Hamilton). . .it was as bang-bang as you can get.
“Carlos was quick, accurate and strong and Frankie (Lindor) came flying across second base.”
Trevor Bauer gave the lead right back in the fourth on Adam Duvall’s 432-foot homer over the edge of the 19-foot wall in dead center. He found trouble again in the fifth, but struck out Joey Votto and retired Duvall on a fly ball to right with the bases loaded.
The trouble in the fifth started when Santana made an error on Barnhart’s grounder at first to start the inning. He atoned for that error in the fifth with a two-out double that scored Jason Kipnis for a 3-2 lead.