Joey Votto hit a bases-loaded triple in the 10th inning after Billy Hamilton slipped out of a rundown, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Tuesday night.
Hamilton got hung up between third and home when pitcher Kevin McCarthy (4-3) tipped Tyler Barnhart's line drive with his glove. McCarthy picked up the ball behind the mound and threw home, and Hamilton looked done until he sidestepped Alcides Escobar's tag and dived back safely into third base to leave the bases loaded with one out.
Votto then tripled on a 2-1 count to the right-center wall, and Eugenio Suarez singled home Votto.
Dave Hernandez (2-0) hit a batter and struck out two.
The Reds tied it in the ninth on Barnhart's homer to lead off the inning. Barnhart drove a 2-2 pitch by Kelvin Herrera over the right-field fence into in the Royals' bullpen.
It was Herrera's second blown save in 16 opportunities.
After Barnhart's home run, Herrera walked Votto for his first walk of the season in his 27th relief appearance. He also walked Jesse Winker with two outs before retiring Adam Duvall on a groundball to end the inning.
Ian Kennedy, who has won one of his last 27 home starts, pitched eight scoreless innings, allowing three singles. He was removed after 104 pitches and the Royals holding a 1-0 lead.
In his previous two Kauffman Stadium starts, Kennedy had a 13.00 ERA, giving up 13 runs in losses to Tampa Bay and Oakland.
Kennedy retired 12 straight after navigating his way out of a bases-loaded jam to end the second.
The Reds loaded the bases in the second inning on Scooter Gennett's leadoff single and walks by Suarez and Duvall. Kennedy got out of that jam when Jose Peraza flied out to center fielder Abraham Almonte, who threw out Gennett attempting to score.
Hunter Dozier led off the fifth with a 425-foot homer to left on a 2-2 pitch by Sal Romano.
That was the only hiccup for Romano. He allowed only three singles outside of Dozier's home run in eight innings.
The Royals have dropped eight of nine and have lost 22 of 32 home games.
SPELLING LESSON
The Kaufman Stadium scoreboard spelled the opposing team as "Cincinatti."
ROSTER MOVES
Royals: RHP Justin Grimm (low back stiffness) was recalled from his minor league injury rehab with Triple-A Omaha and activated. The Royals optioned rookie RHP Trevor Oaks to the Storm Chasers. OF Jorge Bonifacio, who is finishing an 80-game suspension, will begin a minor league rehab assignment Tuesday with Omaha. Major League Baseball suspended Bonifacio for testing positive for a performance-enhancing drug.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey (right knee inflammation) allowed five runs on six hits in three innings in a rehab start Sunday for Triple-A Louisville. All the runs scored in the fifth when Bailey allowed two doubles and a triple. "I talked to (Louisville bench coach) Dick Schofield and he basically said the first two innings looked good and then he got hit hard," Reds interim manager Jim Riggleman said. "That's kind of about summed it up. I think his knee felt good. I don't know what he was trying to do. There's been some talk of maybe trying to change some things up with his delivery. I don't know if he even did that. That could play into it, too."
Royals: Jorge Soler (bruised left big toe) returned to the lineup for the first time since Friday.
UP NEXT
Reds: RHP Tyler Mahle has allowed two earned runs over 10 innings in his first two June starts, going 1-0.
Royals: RHP Jason Hammel is 2-1 with a 2.59 ERA in his past four starts.
