Nationals 7, Reds 6 (11)
CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds rallied from a four-run deficit to send the game into extra innings, but solo home runs by Ian Desmond and Wilson Ramos off J.J. Hoover in he 11th lifted the Washington Nationals to a 7-6 victory on Saturday at Great American Ball Park.
Less than 24 hours after the Reds hit six home runs in a 15-0 victory, Washington clubbed five home runs, including two by Ramos, who recorded his second career multi-homer game.
Hoover (0-2) took the loss. Craig Stammen (1-0) struck out four in two innings to earn the victory.
Washington led, 5-3, in the ninth when Shin-Soo Choo began the inning with his third home run of the season off Nationals closer Rafael Soriano.
With one out, Joey Votto tripled off the wall in left-center and scored on a wild pitch to tie the score, 5-5.
Cincinnati had a chance in to win the game in the 11th, when Votto scored on Brandon Phillips' double to make it a one-run game. But Stammen struck out Jay Bruce to end it.
Bryce Harper hit a two-run homer in the second inning and Wilson Ramos added a two-run shot for the Nationals in the sixth.
Jayson Werth's 419-foot solo homer to center field off Sam LeCure put the Nationals ahead, 5-1, in the seventh. Werth went 3-for-5 with a home run, RBI and two runs scored.
Nationals starter Ross Detwiler allowed six hits and an unearned run in six innings, and was in line for the victory before the Reds rallied in the ninth.
Harper, following Werth's double, pulled the first pitch from Reds' starter Mike Leake into the right-field seats, putting them ahead 2-0 in the second.
The Reds' first run came when Phillips reached base on a throwing error by Danny Espinosa and scored from second on Todd Frazier's double.
Ramos' two-run home run on a 3-and-2 pitch from Leake put the Nationals ahead, 4-1, in the sixth.
Washington led, 5-1, in the eighth when Cincinnati fought back. Phillips doubled and scored on Frazier's RBI single, before Devin Mesoraco's hard grounder skidded through Desmond's legs and Bruce scored to cut Cincinnati's deficit to 5-3.
Aroldis Chapman struck out the three batters he faced in the 10th inning.
NOTES: Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche, who's been dealing with lower back stiffness which caused him to leave Friday's game in the seventh inning, was not in the starting lineup Saturday. Chad Tracy started at first base and batted fifth Saturday going 1-for-4. LaRoche is 0-for-13 to begin the season but said his back has not affected his swing. .. Reds C Devin Mesoraco made his first start of the season on Saturday. .. According to the Elias Sports Bureau, when Reds 3B Todd Frazier and SS Zack Cozart each hit two home runs Friday night, NOTES: Nationals 1B Adam LaRoche, who has been dealing with lower back stiffness which caused him to leave Friday's game in the seventh inning, was not in the starting lineup Saturday. Chad Tracy started at first base and batted fifth Saturday. LaRoche is 0-for-13 to begin the season, but said his back has not affected his swing. ... Reds C Devin Mesoraco made his first start of the season on Saturday. ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, when Reds 3B Todd Frazier and SS Zack Cozart each hit two home runs Friday night, it was the first time in franchise history they had multiple home runs from a starting shortstop and third baseman in the same game, and the first time for an NL club since 1971.
