Joey Votto has turned the extraordinary into the expected with the way he’s been hitting for the past two-plus months.
He will turn 38 years old in three weeks and he’s arguably been the best player in baseball since the All-Star break. He’s showing power that he hasn’t flashed since the 2017 season. He’s transformed from a player who was benched for three games last year into a potential MVP candidate.
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After the Cincinnati Reds had totaled two runs in their previous 21 innings, Votto woke up the offense with that loud, unmistakable crack of the bat. He clobbered a three-run homer into center field in the fourth inning Thursday to lift the Reds to a 6-1 victory over the Miami Marlins at Great American Ball Park.
Add a solid start from Luis Castillo, who was facing the team that traded him ahead of the 2017 season, and the Reds have pulled within one game of the San Diego Padres for the second Wild Card spot.
All the momentum started moving in the Reds’ direction in the fourth inning when Jonathan India hit a leadoff single to left field. It was the first time the Reds put the leadoff man on base in their last 14 innings. Nick Castellanos added a one-out single to set the stage for Votto’s big blast.
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In a five-pitch at-bat against Marlins starter Nick Neidert, Votto saw a 91-mph fastball over the middle of the plate and drove it 428 feet. It was a no-doubter in a stretch where no one doubts his talent anymore.
Votto has 27 homers this year, which matches his total from 1,028 combined at-bats during the 2018 and ’19 seasons. Sixteen of those homers came in his last 28 games. He celebrated like he was Jamie Tartt from the “Ted Lasso” TV show, pointing to the name on the back of his jersey with his back to the crowd.
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When he was a few feet in front of the dugout steps, he realized he didn’t slap hands with Tyler Stephenson, who was on deck. Votto ran back toward the batter’s box for a short celebration with Stephenson before walking through the high-five line in the dugout.
Votto has totaled 1,091 runs in his career, tying him for third on the Reds’ all-time list with Johnny Bench. He trails only Barry Larkin (1,329) and Pete Rose (1,724)
The fourth-inning rally continued when Stephenson drew a walk. Kyle Farmer followed two batters later with an RBI double that dropped down the right-field line, just out of reach for diving right fielder Jesús Sánchez.
Castillo wasn’t flawless, but he knew how to pitch out of trouble. The Marlins had two runners on base with one out in the second inning, but Castillo ended the threat when he caught a line drive back to the mound to start an inning-ending double play. He stranded two more runners in the seventh inning.
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The Marlins took a 1-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning with a two-out rally against Castillo. Sánchez singled to right field, Brian Anderson drew a walk and Jorge Alfaro thumped an RBI single to right field. After giving up the game’s first run, Castillo retired eight of the next nine batters.
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Castillo struck out seven, possessing a sharp changeup, and walked one. In five career starts against his former organization, Castillo owns a 1.73 ERA.
The Reds added two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning via an RBI double from India and an RBI single by Castellanos.
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