By John Erardi - Cincinnati Enquirer Staff
Chances are Gary Majewski and Bill Bray, the Reds' two new relievers, didn't see anything like Saturday's 3-2 win over the Colorado Rockies while they were with the Washington Nationals.
But new shortstop Royce Clayton, who has been in baseball almost since Alexander Cartwright drew up the baselines at 90 feet, probably has seen something like it.
Those 90 feet came into play big-time Saturday. Reds outfielder Chris Denorfia usually traverses that distance between home plate and first base in about 4.3 seconds, but he took it in a Roadrunner-like blur in the ninth inning.
"I figured, 'Make contact, and use what little speed you've got,' " Denorfia said.
The Reds entered the ninth trailing 2-1 after squandering seven innings of shutout ball by starter Bronson Arroyo. Majewski had given up a two-out, two-run double in the eighth and went to the dugout feeling teed off.
But he hadn't seen the likes of these Reds.
"Just when you think it's over ..." a TV reporter told Reds manager Jerry Narron after the game.
"Who thought it was over?" responded Narron, his face breaking out in a grin.
With one out, Brandon Phillips drew a walk ("Big at-bat," said Narron) and stole second as Clayton was striking out. But then, with two outs, Jason LaRue and Edwin Encarnacion were hit by pitches from All-Star Brian Fuentes, loading the bases.
And up stepped Denorfia, on his 26th birthday.
"In the dugout before the inning started, I counted when I'd be coming up, and I thought, 'Bases loaded and it's going to be a tied game,' " he said.
Close - the score was 2-1.
With a 2-2 count, Denorfia hit a high-hopper at shortstop Clint Barmes, who couldn't field the ball cleanly.
Two runs scored and the only thing left was the celebratory fireworks.
"It was unbelievable," Arroyo said. "Winning that game was huge."
