WATCH: Reds’ TJ Friedl saves game with ninth-inning home run robbery to stun Brewers

The Cincinnati Reds needed a win Tuesday and center fielder TJ Friedl made sure they got one. Friedl made a game-saving home run robbery with two outs in the ninth inning against the Milwaukee Brewers to preserve a 4-2 win (box score). Jake Bauers lined a rocket to center and Friedl went up to catch it at the top of the wall.
Here’s the catch. Friedl took away a game-tying two-run homer and put an end to Milwaukee’s eight-game winning streak:
For what it’s worth, Statcast says that ball would have been a home run in only six ballparks, and one of the six is not Great American Ball Park. It might have only been an extra-base hit off the very top of the wall rather than a homer. Either way, it was a splendid catch to end the game. A highlight nonetheless.
The Reds originally signed Friedl as an undrafted free agent out of Nevada and he’s turned himself into a heck of a player. He went 1 for 4 in Tuesday’s game is hitting .304/.385/.424 with four home runs and nine stolen bases this season. Two years ago Friedl had a 3.6 WAR season and received MVP votes.
Cincinnati had lost three straight games prior to Tuesday’s win. They’re now 30-32 on the season and nine games out in the NL Central. However, they are only 4 ½ games behind a wild-card spot with plenty of season remaining. If they finish the year with a one-game lead for a postseason berth, remember Friedl’s catch.