INSTANT REACTION: Christian Encarncacion-Strand Walks It Off, Reds Beat DBacks 4-3

CINCINNATI -- Christian Encarnacion-Strand, playing in his first game in 52 days, delivered a walk-off hit in the bottom of the 10th inning as the Reds beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 4-3 Saturday afternoon. It was the resumption of a game that started Friday night but was suspended prior to the top of the seventh due to rain.

It's the Reds first walk-off hit in 2025 and first extra innings win of the season, and it's Encarnacion-Strand's fourth career walk-off hit in his young career.

Let's look at some key takeaways from the Reds 4-3, 10-inning win over the Diamondbacks Friday night/Saturday afternnon.

The game started Friday and ended on Saturday

It doesn't happen often, but the first of three games between the Reds and Diamondbacks was one of those where it started one day and had to be finished the next due to rain. Arizona and Cincinnati were tied 3-3 after six innings when the game went into a rain delay. It was eventually suspended until 2:10 E.T. Saturday.

In Major League Baseball, according to the Glossary section on MLB.com, a game is official when the visiting team has made 15 outs and the home team is leading. In other words, if the home team is leading after the top of the fifth, the game is official. If the home team makes 15 outs, that's another way the game can become official because the visiting team would then be leading after five full innings.

Here is the guideline, according to the Glossary, for a game being suspended, like Friday night's: If a regulation game is terminated early due to weather and the game is either tied or in the midst of an inning in which the visiting team has taken the lead, it becomes a suspended game that will be completed at a later date from the point of termination.

When it comes to the Postseason, a rule amendment was established in 2009 that"all postseason games and games added to the regular season to determine qualifiers for the postseason become suspended games if they are called, regardless of how many innings have been played or the score at the time the game is called. A suspended game is resumed and played to completion at the same site."

Worth noting, there have been multiple games in MLB Postseason history that have been started and completed on different days. Game 1 of the 2011 American League Division Series between the Detroit Tigers and New York Yankees started on a Friday night, but it ended up being suspended after just the top of the second inning to the next night due to rain.

Game 5 of the 2008 World Series between the Philadelphia Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays was suspended after the top of the sixth inning and wasn't resumed until two nights later in Philadelphia.

Welcome back Christian Encarncaion-Strand

The Reds first baseman hadn't played since April 16th prior to Friday night, but he made an emphatic statement in his return with a game-tying home run in the bottom of the sixth inning on Friday and the walk-off hit in the game's resumption on Saturday.

Encarnacion-Strand's home run was crucial. It tied the game just before the game went into a rain delay. If the Reds hadn't scored in the bottom of the sixth, the game would have become official and Cincinnati would have been on the losing end.

In addition to his walk-off hit, Encarnacion-Strand snared a line drive on an impressive catch for the third out in the top of the eighth inning.

Despite hitting just .183 this season, Encarnacion-Strand does have three home runs. His power is undeniable. When he gets a hold of a pitch, he can mash it. If his plate discipline and patience improves along with his batting average, he is going to become a very dangerous hitter in a Reds lineup that could benefit heavily from it.

Nick Lodolo's quality start

Lodolo pitched six innings with just three earned runs allowed on five hits. He didn't walk any Diamondbacks hitters and struck out four, while throwing 58 of his 86 pitches for strikes.

Unfortunately, there are two pitches Lodolo will want back. Arizona's top two hitters, designated hitter Ketel Marte and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo, homered on back-to-back pitches with two outs in the top of the third inning.

Other than those two pitches, Lodolo pitched well on Friday night.

Graham Ashcraft's two crucial scoreless innings

When the game resumed Saturday afternoon, Ashcraft took over on the mound for the Reds to start the top of the seventh. The Reds right-hander pitched the seventh and eighth innings with four strikeouts and just one hit, with 24 of his 35 pitches for strikes.

Notes and observations

• Reds closer Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect ninth inning.
• TJ Friedl continues to swing a hot bat, going 1-3 with a two-run home-run and a walk.
• Elly De La Cruz pinch hit in the bottom of the eighth inning and then played shortstop the remainder of the game.
• Jose Trevino went 2-4 in the game.
• Arizona went 0-5 with runners in scoring position.
• Cincinnati went 1-12 with runners in scoring position and left 10 runners on base.

On deck

Game two of the three-game series between the Reds and Diamondbacks is today at 4:10 E.T.. Nick Martinez (3-6, 3.89 ERA) gets the ball for the Reds against Diamondbacks right-hander Ryne Nelson (2-1, 3.43 ERA)

The game can be seen on FanDuel Sports Network Cincinnati and heard on 700WLW.