Eugenio Suarez had two hits and drove in two runs, including one during a three-run 10th inning. as the Cincinnati Reds defeated the Minnesota Twins 5-3 on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis in the final regular-season game for a pair of playoff teams.
Joey Votto walked three times and drove in what proved to be the winning run with a bases-loaded free pass for Cincinnati (31-29). The Reds, who were locked into the No. 7 seed in the National League when the St. Louis Brewers defeated Milwaukee Brewers 5-2 earlier on Sunday, will face the second-seeded Atlanta Braves in the National League wild-card round beginning Wednesday.
Raisel Iglesias (4-3) picked up the win despite allowing an unearned run in his 1 1/3 innings. Sergio Romo (1-3) took the loss after he failed to retire any of the four batters he faced.
Luis Arraez had two hits for Minnesota (36-24), which despite the loss clinched its second consecutive American League Central title after the Chicago White Sox fell 10-8 to the Chicago Cubs. The Twins, seeded No. 3, will host the Houston Astros in the AL wild-card round starting Tuesday.
Cincinnati took the lead with one out in the top of the 10th against Romo. Pinch runner Michael Lorenzen, who began the inning at second base, went to third on a single by Curt Casali and the scored on a single by Tucker Barnhart. Nick Castellanos walked to load the bases. Votto then walked to force in Casali and make it 4-2.
Jorge Alcala replaced Romo, and Suarez lined a single to left to drive in Barnhart. Castellanos was then thrown out at home trying to score on an errant pitch before Mike Moustakas flied out to end the inning.
The Twins cut it to 5-3 when Marwin Gonzalez led off with a single to center in the bottom of the 10th. Iglesias then struck out Mitch Garver, got Max Kepler to pop out and fanned pinch hitter Ehire Adrianza to end the game.
–Field Level Media