Joey Votto homers for Cincinnati in his first game of the 2023 season
Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto hit a 381-foot solo home run Monday in the bottom of the fifth inning of his first game of the 2023 season, and Great American Ball Park erupted.
Votto's homer off of Colorado Rockies starter Austin Gomber gave the Reds a 3-1 lead in Monday's series-opening win, Cincinnati's ninth consecutive victory. It was the third home run of the game for the Reds after Kevin Newman's blast in the first and Nick Senzel's in the second inning.
In the bottom of the sixth, Votto's two-run single gave the Reds a 5-4 lead.
Votto was back in the Reds' lineup for the first time in 10 months after a shoulder injury.
"I can't rejoin a winning ball club with championship aspirations without being fully ready," Votto said Monday, per The Enquirer's Charlie Goldsmith. "I recognize the momentum, I recognize the excitement and I recognize the culture. It's my responsibility to come back and make sure I catch up."
Social media reactions, including from the Reds, Goldsmith and Gordon Wittenmyer:
Cincinnati's finest pic.twitter.com/Cz3I7j2Aqs
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 20, 2023
KING HAS RETURNED@JoeyVotto pic.twitter.com/wRBJwUqymN
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 20, 2023
When this Reds rebuild started, it looked like Joey Votto would never get to play in a meaningful game with real stakes for the Reds again.
This Reds turnaround changed that reality. Votto homers in his first game back and gets a curtain call.— Charlie Goldsmith (@CharlieG__) June 20, 2023
It's Votto Here!
Joey Votto hits a home run in the second at-bat of his first game back with the @Reds and gives the home team a 3-1 lead over the Rockies.#Reds pic.twitter.com/R8JEIaGfP1— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) June 20, 2023
JOSEPH DANIEL VOTTO STILL BANGS
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 20, 2023
Joey Votto, who responded to a lengthy ovation in his first AB in 10 months with a liner/near hit to CF, comes back in his second AB to crush a homer to right -- and take a curtain call.
Press box wag: "You've got to be effing kidding me."— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubMLB) June 20, 2023
Reds LHB with a HR off a LHP this year
4/3 - 𝐉ason 𝐕osler
6/19 - 𝐉oey 𝐕otto— Joel Luckhaupt (@jluckhaupt) June 20, 2023
Joey Votto hit a HR in his first game of the season tonight.
He's now homered in his season debut for the 4th time in his career, tying Hall of Famer Tony Perez for the most HR in player's season debut for the Reds since 1900. pic.twitter.com/iTY4GnvoAe— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 20, 2023
We missed Joey Votto homers. 💪 pic.twitter.com/kdzRjopVcn
— MLB (@MLB) June 20, 2023
Nothing but love for 19 ❤️ pic.twitter.com/GYHEjx2Ij1
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 20, 2023
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This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Joey Votto homers for Cincinnati in his first game of the 2023 season
