Tigers Fall To Reds 8-4 On Frazier's Grand Slam In 13th
CINCINNATI (AP) - The Detroit Tigers don't get to see Todd Frazier very often. They won't soon forget his last two days.
Frazier hit an early solo homer and a grand slam with two outs in the 13th inning Wednesday night, powering the Cincinnati Reds to a rain-delayed 8-4 victory.
The Reds twice rallied from one-run deficits in the late innings, turning it into the longest game this season for both teams. And then Frazier ended it with his fourth homer in the last two days against the Tigers, this one off Joakim Soria.
"I don't know the last time somebody hit my curveball out of the ballpark," Soria said. "I trust my pitch and this thing happens. He's hot."
Frazier became the first Reds player to have back-to-back multi-homer games since Barry Larkin did it in 1991.
"He's been hurting us the last couple of games," manager Brad Ausmus said. "He's a big power hitter."
Ian Krol (1-0) escaped a two-on threat in the 12th inning and stayed in the game. Skip Schumaker opened the 13th with a single and Billy Hamilton walked. Soria took over and gave up a single by Brandon Phillips that loaded the bases with one out.
Frazier's homer ended it at 1:20 a.m. local time.
Burke Badenhop (1-2) retired the side in the 13th.
Jay Bruce had a career-high five hits — the first Reds player do so since Willy Tavares in 2009 — but he was thrown out at the plate in the 10th inning while trying to score from first base on Brayan Pena's double. Pena had four hits.
Miguel Cabrera hit a three-run homer off Johnny Cueto — giving him 51 RBIs — for a 3-2 lead just before heavy rain started falling in the sixth inning. Neither Cueto nor Tigers starter David Price returned after the 1-hour, 14-minute delay.
Detroit's bullpen couldn't hold a pair of one-run leads.
The long rain delay left it up to the bullpens after both starters had solid showings.
Cueto gave up Ian Kinsler's double in the first inning, then didn't allow another hit until Anthony Gose singled with one out in the sixth. Kinsler walked and Cabrera hit a fastball deep into the right-field stands, giving him at least one RBI in six straight games.
Price had thrown back-to-back complete games for the second time in his career, including a 4-0 win over Cleveland on Friday. He allowed four hits, including Frazier's solo shot.
"The rain kind of got us," Ausmus said. "The rain comes and David Price is unavailable to go back out there. That kind of stung a little bit."
NL VS. AL
The Tigers are 7-7 in interleague play this season, the Reds 3-8.
STREAKS
Detroit's Yoenis Cespedes and J.D. Martinez had their 10-game hitting streaks end. Cincinnati's Ivan De Jesus Jr. ended his at six games.
BONUS SIGNING
Tigers first-round pick Beau Burrows, a right-handed pitcher from Weatherford High School in Texas, signed for a bonus of $2,154,200.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Tigers: Victor Martinez remains on track to rejoin the team in New York during a series against the Yankees over the weekend. He's been sidelined since May 19 with a swollen left knee. ... Catcher Alex Avila took batting practice. He's been on the disabled list since May 8 with a sore left knee.
Reds: Left fielder Marlon Byrd started a two-game rehab assignment and could come off the disabled list this weekend. His right wrist was broken when hit by a pitch on June 3. ... Right-hander Jon Moscot is weighing whether to have surgery on his dislocated left (non-throwing) shoulder.
UP NEXT
Tigers: Justin Verlander (0-0) makes his second start of the season. He was sidelined by a strained right triceps.
Reds: Mike Leake (3-4) has never faced the Tigers. He's 4-6 with a 3.83 ERA in 18 career starts against AL teams.
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