CINCINNATI — Jay Bruce raised both index fingers as he rounded first base and took the final steps toward a long-awaited championship. Jubilant Reds teammates streamed toward the plate while fireworks went off overhead.
Fifteen years of futility had just ended with Bruce’s dramatic swing.
Bruce homered on the first pitch from Tim Byrdak leading off the ninth inning Tuesday for a 3-2 victory overthe Houston Astros, securing an NL Central title for a franchise that has gone through some of the worst times in its history.
Nine consecutive losing seasons. A 15-year playoff drought. All washed away with one home run and an eye-stinging clubhouse spray.
“There’s nothing like it,” said Bruce, who repeatedly got doused with bottles of Korbel champagne and 24-ounce cans of beer in the clubhouse.
The 23-year-old outfielder, part of Cincinnati’s young nucleus, provided a fitting finish to the championship drive. Cincinnati has won 22 games in its last at-bat, second-most in the majors.
Drama found them all season as they got into contention early, then held off the heavily favored St. Louis Cardinals in a tight-as-could be race.
“When he hit that one up there, there was a big sigh of relief and the party was on,” Manager Dusty Baker said. “I’m as happy as a man can be. This is sweet. This is a special group, special guys and a special feeling.”
With the latest title, Baker joined Bill McKechnie as the only managers to lead three NL teams to the playoffs. Baker also has made it with San Francisco and the Chicago Cubs.
There could be more drama left.
Left-hander Aroldis Chapman (2-2) pitched a perfect ninth, topping out at 101 mph while showing playoff opponents the stuff they can expect in a week or so.
The Reds sold 30,151 tickets forthe clinching game - above-average for a cool September weeknight - and took the field almost tasting it. Second baseman Brandon Phillips said he doesn’t drink and has never taken so much as a sip of champagne.
“I don’t know how it’s going to taste,” Phillips said. “I don’t know what’s going to happen.”
Most Reds were novices at the sip-and-spray tradition. Four female fans in the upper deck wore shirts that, side-by-side, urged the home team to “Show Us The Bubbly.”
The crowd was on its feet in the sixth, when the Reds loaded the bases with none out. Phillips tied it 2-2 with an infield single to the hole at shortstop, but Bruce grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Bruce made up for it on his next swing. Byrdak (2-2) left his lone pitch right down the middle - a perfect spot to start a celebration.
“You never want to see that,” Byrdak said. “We wanted to win all three games and make them clinch against somebody else.”
Soon, the red carpeting on the home clubhouse floor was sopped for the first time since Great American Ball Park opened in 2003.
BRAVES 3, MARLINS 2
Eric Hinske (Arkansas Razorbacks) hit a pinch-hit, two-run home run in the seventh inning and host Atlanta beat Florida.
NATIONALS 2, PHILLIES 1
Adam Dunnled off the bottom of the ninth with his 38th home run, this one off Jose Contreras (6-4), to give host Washington the victory. Philadelphia clinched home-field advantage throughout the postseason a night earlier.
METS 4, BREWERS 3
Light-hitting New York rookie Ruben Tejada laced a two-run double in the bottom of the ninth off Milwaukee closer John Axford (8-2) to give the host Mets the victory.
DODGERS 9, ROCKIES 7
Casey Blake homered twice, Rafael Furcal had two triples and Los Angeles beat host Colorado.
PIRATES 7, CARDINALS 2
Garrett Jones homered on a three-hit night and drove in three runs in Pittsburgh’s’ victory over host St. Louis, which was eliminated from playoff contention earlier Tuesday night. Albert Pujols became the first Cardinal to walk 100 times in three consecutive seasons.
American League YANKEES 6, BLUE JAYS 1 Visiting New York clinched its 15th postseason berth in the past 16 years and CC Sabathia got his 21st victory of the season. Derek Jeter scored three runs and drove in another for the Yankees, who have reached the postseason every year but one since 1996. New York missed the playoffs in 2008, finishing behind Tampa Bay and Boston.Sabathia (21-7) allowed one run and three hits in 1 8 /3 innings to match Andy Pettitte’s 21 victories in 1996 and 2003 for the most victories by a Yankee since Ron Guidry went 22-6 in 1985.
RAYS 5, ORIOLES 0
Tampa Bay clinched its second playoff berth in three years, beating visiting Baltimore behind another strong pitching performance by 19-game winner David Price. Price (19-6) scattered six hits over eight innings and allowed only one runner past second base. The Rays remained one-half game in front of the New York Yankees atop the AL East.
WHITE SOX 5, RED SOX 4
Paul Konerko tied the game in the eighth inning with a run scoring double and Dayan Viciedo won it with a pinch-hit RBI single in the ninth and host Chicago rallied to beat Boston. Boston’s slim playoff hopes were dashed about an hour before the game ended.
MARINERS 3, RANGERS 1 Felix Hernandez allowed only one run over eight innings and Justin Smoak hit the tie breaking home run to lead last-place Seattle past AL West champion Texas in Arlington. Hernandez (13-12) lowered his AL-best ERA to 2.27.
ROYALS 10, TWINS 1 Kila Ka’aihue hit two home runs and drove in a career-high four runs to lead host Kansas City over Minnesota. The Twins have dropped a season-high five consecutive since clinching the AL Central title on Sept. 21.
Tuesday’s games NATIONAL LEAGUE Washington 2, Philadelphia 1 Atlanta 3, Florida 2 Cincinnati 3, Houston 2 NY Mets 4, Milwaukee 3 Pittsburgh 7, St. Louis 2 LA Dodgers 9, Colorado 7 Chicago Cubs at San Diego, (n) Arizona at San Francisco, (n) AMERICAN LEAGUE Detroit at Cleveland, ppd., rain NY Yankees 6, Toronto 1 Tampa Bay 5, Baltimore 0 Seattle 3, Texas 1 Chicago White Sox 5, Boston 4 Kansas City 10, Minnesota 1 Oakland at LA Angels, (n)
Sports, Pages 21 on 09/29/2010