OCTOBER 17, 1990: Eric Davis, center, celebrates with Reds teammates after Bill Bates scored on a Joe Oliver hit to win game two of the World Series against Oakland. Also shown are Glenn Braggs, Bates and Billy Hatcher. Text World Series Oct 1990 Eric Davis Center Celebrates With Teammates After A Bill Bates Single Scored Davis To Win Game Two Of The World Series Also Shown Glenn Braggs Bill Bates And Billy Hatcher Cincinnati Enquirer Photo By Gary Landers Gl The Enquirer/Gary Landers via Imagn Content Services, LLC

Unexpected Hero: MLB Analyst Looks Back at Reds’ Most Unlikely Postseason Star

Originally posted on Cincinnati Reds on SI
By Greg Kuffner | Last updated Oct 12, 2025 7:29 PM ET

MLB analyst Sarah Langs revisited Each team's most unlikely postseason hero in a recent article on MLB.com.

For the Reds, that unlikely hero was Billy Bates.

"The 5-foot-7, 155-pound Bates was on the Reds' 1990 postseason roster mainly for his speed, so he was quite surprised when he was summoned to pinch-hit against future Hall of Famer Dennis Eckersley in the 10th inning of Game 2 of the World Series," MLB.com's Sarah Langs wrote. "He hit an infield single -- his only hit in a Cincinnati uniform -- and later came around to score on Joe Oliver's walk-off single. The Reds went on to win the World Series, and Bates never again played in the Major Leagues."

Bates played in just 11 combined regular-season and postseason games for the Reds in the 1990 season, but he got a huge hit when it mattered most.

The second baseman was out of the league after the 1990 season. He also spent time with the Milwaukee Brewers in his three-year MLB career.

You can read Langs' full article here.

This article first appeared on Cincinnati Reds on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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