ATLANTA – When Joey Votto walked off the Truist Park infield following Ozzie Albies’ three-run, walk-off homer Wednesday, he stopped at the edge of the dugout.
Votto removed his jersey and handed it to a fan who was sitting near the on-deck circle. The fan couldn’t contain her excitement afterward, jumping up and down, as Votto walked down the dugout stairs after an 8-6 loss to the Atlanta Braves.
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Why did Votto give her his jersey?
It was part of an agreement they had during the game. She predicted both of his home runs Wednesday, including his game-tying, two-run blast in the top of the ninth inning. Votto high-fived her on his way back to the dugout after his ninth-inning homer.
“She kept calling everything I did, singles and home runs,” Votto said. “She kept calling them. We made an agreement before every at-bat. I talked to her a little bit mid-at-bat and she was screaming at me and supporting me. I’m not sure if it’ll end up on social media, but she was incredibly supportive despite lots of people that were not on her side. We almost did it together. She was great.”
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Votto leads the Majors with 14 homers since the All-Star break and he’s had some memorable moments with fans during his red-hot stretch. He appeared to say, “told you,” to a group of fans near the on-deck circle after one of his homers at Wrigley Field last month.
In that same series against the Cubs, he called a young fan to run down to the first row from his seat so he could give a ball to the kid. He personally apologized to a 6-year-old in San Diego when he was ejected in the first inning, giving her a signed ball that read, “I am sorry I didn’t play the entire game.”
He made a pledge last month he would no longer try to disrespect umpires or damage equipment out of frustration.
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“I’ve been getting into tiffs with umpires of late and there are a few things that I don’t really like,” Votto said in late-July. “I don’t like breaking equipment, doing damage to equipment. I don’t like when there’s no hustle, no effort and I don’t like disrespecting my opposition and the umpires. I want to make a promise to anybody that wants to listen in Cincinnati youth sports and Cincinnati baseball that is not going to happen anymore. I would like to make that pact with the community.
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“If the (Reds’) R.B.I program, the teams in Cincinnati want to join in, that’s my promise to them. I’m going to respect all those facets of the game and I’m going to try to play the game with my heart and play the game respectfully. I want to say that out loud because I feel like if I don’t say it out loud … I’m held accountable by my community now. I wanted to offer that to them if they want to join in with me and do that too. That’s my offer to them.”
Nick Castellanos sits against Atlanta Braves
CASTELLANOS SITS: Nick Castellanos was out of the Reds’ lineup for Thursday’s series finale against the Atlanta Braves after he was hit by a pitch on his foot in the ninth inning Wednesday.
“It's a little bit swollen,” Reds manager David Bell said. “He had an X-ray, there's nothing going on there. He'll be available to pinch-hit, but that was the reason he's not starting.”
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WHO IS CLOSER? The Reds haven’t formally named a closer all season, but manager David Bell has turned to Michael Lorenzen and Mychal Givens with small leads at the end of games since Heath Hembree struggled in July.
Could Lorenzen or Givens be considered a closer?
“I think the record might speak for itself,” Bell said. “Somebody told me the other night we had 10 guys with saves. I like that we have a lot of options of guys that can pitch in the ninth.
“If you look at Mychal Givens and Michael Lorenzen, I'll say kind of the same thing to both of them: Be ready if it's a big spot to get out of a seventh or an eighth inning. You might have a clean eighth or ninth. A lot of that just depends on one of them may be more rested and able to go one-plus (innings).”
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In other words, still no pitcher in a strict closer’s role.
“I'd be comfortable with either one of them pitching the ninth,” Bell said. “We might look at the opposing order, and if we think, one of them matches up better against a group of hitters in the eighth, that's how I'll make that decision. To have that freedom and that luxury to be able to do that puts us in the best chance to win without having to define or put a title on, 'This is our eighth-inning guy, this is our ninth inning guy.' A lot of times, it'll just – and it has – work itself out. Our pitchers have been great about being ready for how we all see it.”
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