Votto joins elite company with 2-homer game

Despite the Reds’ 8-6 loss in 11 innings to the Braves on Wednesday night at Truist Park, the legend of Joey Votto continued to grow to a level few could have seen coming when he debuted in 2007.

Votto crushed a Statcast-projected 442-foot two-run home run in the sixth inning to end what was then a 5-0 shutout, and then he tied the game in the ninth with another two-run shot to right-center. His two-homer night gave him 14 dingers in his last 20 games, joining Hall of Famer Frank Robinson (1962) as the only Cincinnati hitters to achieve that feat.

“He’s one of the greatest players I’ve been privileged to suit up with, and fun to watch,” said Reds starter Wade Miley, who took a no-decision after giving up five earned runs in five innings of work. “He just continues to push himself, and I guess reopen the doors, man. It’s been incredible to watch how special of a baseball player he is.”

When Votto was told that he’d joined Robinson in that elite company, he remarked about meeting the late slugger at the 2017 All-Star Game less than two years before Robinson died on Feb. 7, 2019. Votto even took the time to scroll through his phone, just to find a picture to show the media of him with Robinson, who began his stellar career with Cincinnati.

“I asked him some questions and he was generous with his time,” Votto said. “I’m a huge fan of Frank Robinson. Played the game with a reputation, a great player in all facets of the game, one of the greatest hitters of all-time. Great Red. One of the greatest Reds of all time, without question.”

Votto also singled twice, which made it his first time reaching safely five or more times in a game since June 28, 2019. However, Votto was still disappointed in the outcome of the contest; a go-ahead single by Kyle Farmer in the top of the 11th gave Cincinnati a short-lived 6-5 lead, but Lucas Sims yielded a three-run, walk-off homer to Ozzie Albies in the bottom of the frame that gave the Reds their third consecutive loss.

“Getting walked off is never good, especially when you’re ahead,” Votto said. “Tonight, it felt like it was a comeback and we were on our way to completing a comeback, and we just didn’t finish it up. Every game is so meaningful right now.”

The 37-year-old Votto is at the point in his career where he seems to be moving up different career leaderboards on a game-by-game basis.

In the third inning against Braves starter Touki Toussaint, Votto logged the 1,260th walk of his career, tying Ty Cobb for 53rd place in AL/NL history. The second of his two-run shots later gave him his 1,038th career RBI, which moved him past Pete Rose for third in franchise history.

So Votto’s latest performance put him in company with three all-time greats in baseball history, an accomplishment that he appreciates but isn’t surprised by at this stage in his career.

“[I’m] humbled, but also meeting expectations,” Votto said. “I’ve had high standards for my play. I don’t expect to get 4,000-plus hits, but I feel like there are other things I can do. I don’t want to take a backseat to many players. ... It’s certainly humbling, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“With complete respect for everyone involved, I get the chance to watch Joey and to see him perform, and to see him go about it,” manager David Bell said. “Not only the last few years, but even before that, [coaching] in the same division. I think that it's no surprise. I think we should be OK talking about him as being great like that.”

Though the ending wasn’t what the Reds envisioned as they rallied back in the late innings, Votto’s valiant effort to almost single-handedly lift his team to victory served as another reminder of why he and the rest of the lineup should never be counted out.

And four years after that exchange with Robinson, it seems as though Votto -- in his continuous power surge at the plate -- has taken whatever advice he was given to heart.