Reds walk-off win in the 9th seals their first spring win – Redleg Nation

The Cincinnati Reds hosted the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday afternoon in Goodyear, Arizona. The home team did not lead the game at any point until the 9th inning. But that’s the only point where it really matters, right? Cincinnati scored two runs in the final inning and picked up a walk-off victory that also happened to give them their first win of spring training.

The highlights

After going a 1-2-3 first inning, Andrew Abbott came back for the second and things weren’t going so well for him. He would retire the first two batters, but then gave up a single and a 2-run homerun to Josh Rojas as the Royals took the lead. Cincinnati got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame after Tyler Stephenson walked and came around to score on a groundout.

Brandon Williamson returned to the mound in a game for the first time since September 2024. The left-hander struckout in the third inning. The next inning, he gave up a 450-foot solo home run to Jac Caglianone and then two more hits to plate a second run as the Royals made it 4–1.

The Reds would get some of that back in the bottom of the 5th inning as Elly De La Cruz and Eugenio Suarez went back-to-back to start the inning and cut the lead to 4-3. It was the first home run of the spring for both players.

With Cincinnati down 4-3 heading into the bottom of the ninth, the Reds scored three consecutive singles to start the inning. Sal Stewart led off the game and then took third base on a single by Leo Balcazar. Edwin Arroyo then cashed in the tying run with a single to left. Michael Toglia then came through with the walk-off single that gave Balcazar with one out as Cincinnati picked up their first win of the spring.

You can view the box score for this game here.

News and notes

Eugenio Suarez was the only Red with more than one hit, but TJ Friedl, Matt McLain and Noelvi Marte all had a hit and a walk. Dane Myers went 0-1 but walked twice.

In relief, the Reds posted shutout innings with Pierce Johnson, Sam Moll, Yunior Marte, Sam Benschoter and Trevor Kuncl striking out.

The Reds bench was 2-24 through the first two games of the spring. During Tuesday’s game, they were 1-7 going into the 9th inning. But then they went 4-5 in the 9th inning to draw a walk.

Tomorrow the Reds play their first real road game of the spring (they open in Cleveland, but share Goodyear Ballpark) when they take on the Chicago White Sox. Nick Lodolo, Brock Burke, Lyon Richardson, Anthony Misiewicz, Darren McCaughan, Hagen Danner and Zach Maxwell will pitch in the game for Cincinnati.