It took 10 innings, but the Cincinnati Reds were able to earn a 5-4 win over the Kansas City Royals on Monday night.
Kansas City would take a 3-0 lead after the 2 run first and 1 run second.
The Reds would begin to claw back in the top of the third, thanks to a Stuart Fairchild solo home run, to make it a 3-1 game. A TJ Friedl double and a Jonathan India single would add two more for the Reds in the 6th, tying the game up at 3.
The Reds would eventually take their first lead of the game, 4-3, in the top of the ninth when T.J. Hopkins scored on Kevin Newman’s sacrifice fly.
The Royals, however, would answer in the bottom of the inning with a Salvadore Perez solo home run to tie the game up and send it to extra innings.
Friedl would score the game-winning run for Cincinnati in the top of the 10th when Jonathan India grounded into a fielder’s choice, making it 5-4.
In his debut for the Reds, Ricky Karcher earned the save, forcing two pop-outs with runners on second and third in the bottom of the 10th to give the Cincinnati the extra-innings win.
Friedl went 2-5 with 2 doubles and an RBI.
Game 2 of the series is tonight. Coverage begins on 103.9 WRBI at 7:40.