Hall of Fame claims Votto's magic bat

ATLANTA -- After a rain delay of more than three hours and then a game that lasted nearly four hours, the Reds didn't arrive in Atlanta until almost midnight ET on Sunday night.

"It was exhausting," Joey Votto said. "It was a long day, but a good day."

The first baseman saw to that with a game-winning grand slam in the bottom of the ninth inning as the Reds came from behind for a dramatic 9-6 victory over the Nationals at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

The homer was Votto's third of the game, and the black bat he used will be on its way to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., when he is through with it.

"It's an honor for the Hall of Fame to be interested in something of mine," Votto said. "It's a first for me, and I'm happy about it."

Votto earned the inclusion. He is the first player in Major League history to produce three home runs and a walk-off grand slam in the same game, and the three homers tied a Reds record. It has been done 33 times by 27 players, including Votto previously. He hit three homers against the Cubs in 2008.

Votto established career bests with six RBIs and 14 total bases. His four hits and four runs tied career highs.

The 14 total bases were the most by a Reds player since Jeffrey Hammond did it in 1999, and it fell one short of the team record of 15, set by Walker Cooper in 1949.