Tyler Stephenson may a rookie, but he never looks like one when he’s in the batter’s box in pressure situations.
Here he was with the bases loaded and one out in the bottom of the eighth inning. With the score tied, Stephenson wouldn’t give in against St. Louis Cardinals reliever Giovanny Gallegos. An inside fastball, a fastball down the middle and a slider were all fouled away.
On the fifth pitch of the at-bat, Stephenson powered an elevated fastball into center field. It was deep enough for a sacrifice fly, scoring Kyle Farmer from third base, and that’s all the Reds needed in that moment.