Encarnacion-Strand, Votto hit memorable homers vs. Giants

CINCINNATI -- It may take a few moments to spell out the longest full name in Major League history. But rookie Christian Encarnacion-Strand provided an instant jolt of offense the Reds have craved.

Encarnacion-Strand, or CES for short, crushed a thrilling pinch-hit three-run home run for his first big league hit in the fifth inning that gave Cincinnati the lead. However, the Reds couldn't hold on as their losing streak reached a season-high-tying six games during a wild 11-10 defeat to the Giants on Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.

"It had everything but a win," said first baseman Joey Votto, who hit his 350th career home run in the seventh inning. "We’ll take a bit of everything or a boring game as long as we get our wins. Today, we came up short twice. Really tough day."

The evening began on a down note when Cincinnati was handed a 4-2 defeat in 10 innings in the resumption of Monday's rain-suspended game. The regularly scheduled game began after a 71-minute rain delay.

Tuesday's second loss came despite Cincinnati hitting four homers and scoring twice as many runs as it amassed over the previous five defeats.

"I think it was awesome to see our offense do that," said right fielder Jake Fraley, who hit a two-run homer in the first inning. "As an offense, when you drive in 10 runs, that’s a damn good day. We just got to hold on to that and string it into the next day.”

However, there were also three blown leads of 4-1, 5-4 and 8-7. Starter Luke Weaver had to exit after 2 2/3 innings when a line drive gave him a left elbow contusion.

The good news: X-rays were negative. The bad news: Reds relievers weren't able to pick Weaver up.

“It’s a tough day for us as a team. We came up just short there," Reds manager David Bell said. “It’s a lot of work that we put on our bullpen to have to get through that game.”

Cincinnati was trailing, 7-5, in the fifth inning when the Giants summoned righty reliever Mauricio Llovera. Encarnacion-Strand was sent in to bat for left-handed-hitting Fraley. Encarnacion-Strand, who was called up from Triple-A Louisville on Monday, already was wanted for a big moment.

“That’s a good feeling, for sure," said Encarnacion-Strand, who is the club's No. 5 prospect (No. 88 overall). “I went in, took a couple of swings in the cage. In all honesty, I try not to think. When I think, I get in trouble."

Encarnacion-Strand was in a 0-2 count when he drove a slider to the second deck of seats in left field. The three-run homer traveled a Statcast-projected 426 feet to give the Reds an 8-7 lead.

"I was just happy. I just want to be a spark for the team and help them win any way possible," said Encarnacion-Strand, who added a seventh-inning single after staying in the game.

"Those two-strike homers are tough. He did it in a meaningful moment," Votto noted. "To change the game so quickly on a breaking ball? Beautiful swing."

Following a disastrous three-run top of the seventh inning where Reds relievers gave up three walks -- including 27th man Tony Santillian walking in a run and giving up a two-run single, Cincinnati did not fold.

With two outs in the bottom of the seventh against reliever Jakob Junis, Votto slugged his 350th career home run to left-center field to cut the deficit back to one run.

"The longer the lineup gets, the more we’re going to fatigue the opposing team’s bullpen," Votto said. "Those stretches where you don’t score, that’s a Major League season. You just experience it.

"This is not a clubhouse of guys that hangs up on that sort of stuff. We play with joy, play with intensity and play to win. That’s really our style."

The loss followed the first game, when Cincinnati had the go-ahead run in scoring position during the ninth inning with a 2-2 score. Elly De La Cruz worked an eight-pitch walk against submarine reliever Tyler Rogers and quickly stole second base as TJ Friedl batted.

But Rogers escaped with a deceptive move that picked off De La Cruz, who was tagged out after a rundown.

“Those are things we’re just going to learn from," De La Cruz said through translator Jorge Merlos.

De La Cruz snapped an 0-for-18 stretch with a fifth-inning single in the nightcap, three batters before Encarnacion-Strand homered.

“It’s never easy to go through a losing streak, struggle or a slump or anything like that, but our guys are handling it incredibly well, especially for young players," Bell said. "We came up short today, but I think the way that game played out was a good sign for us. There’s zero quit. We know that about this team. That’s not going to change.”