Suarez Grand Slam Caps 7-Run Ninth as Reds Stun Giants 10-9

Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam to help the Cincinnati Reds overcome a 9-3 ninth-inning deficit in a 10-9 victory over the San Francisco Giants.

Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam and Tyler Stephenson delivered a go-ahead pinch-hit single as the Cincinnati Reds scored seven runs in the top of the ninth inning to defeat the San Francisco Giants 10-9 on Wednesday. Entering the final frame trailing 9-3, Cincinnati snapped a streak of 967 consecutive losses when trailing by six or more runs in the ninth inning. The victory improved the Reds' all-time record in such scenarios to 3-1,917. This comeback represents the largest ninth-inning lead ever surrendered by the Giants since at least 1901, surpassing previous five-run collapses against the Athletics in 2020 and the Dodgers in 1929.

Ninth Inning Scoring Breakdown

The Reds' seven-run explosion began when rookie Hector Rodriguez led off the ninth with his second home run of the contest. Following a single by Elly De La Cruz and two walks issued by reliever Spencer Bivens, the Giants turned to Dylan Smith. Eugenio Suarez greeted Smith (0-5) by launching his 19th home run of the season, a grand slam that narrowed the San Francisco lead to 8-9. The rally continued as Dane Myers and Matt McLain reached base on consecutive bunt singles. Jose Trevino then lifted a sacrifice fly to drive in the tying run. With the score knotted at 9-9, Tyler Stephenson entered as a pinch-hitter and lined a single that scored McLain to provide the decisive 10-9 margin.

San Francisco Power Display and Series Trends

Prior to the collapse, the Giants utilized three two-run home runs to build their lead. Jonah Cox opened the scoring with a two-run shot in the second inning. Rafael Devers followed with his 29th home run of the year in the fifth, marking the third consecutive game of the series in which he homered. Shay Whitcomb added his third home run of the season in the sixth inning. In the bottom of the eighth, pinch-hitter Drew Gilbert hit a three-run double to right-center with two outs, extending the Giants' advantage to six runs. The loss prevented San Francisco from securing their first three-game sweep of the season; they remain the only MLB team without a three-game series sweep this year.

Rookie Milestones and Historical Context

Cincinnati rookie Sal Stewart contributed a sacrifice fly in the seventh inning, bringing his season total to 100 RBIs. This mark leads the major leagues and ties the Reds' franchise record for RBIs by a rookie, previously set by Jim Greengrass in 1953. According to the Elias Sport Bureau, the only other times Cincinnati successfully rallied from a deficit of six or more runs in the ninth inning occurred in May 1958 against the Chicago Cubs and May 1918 against St. Louis. Sportradar confirmed that the Giants had never previously lost a game in which they led by six runs entering the ninth inning during the modern era.