PHOENIX – Tucker Barnhart doesn’t receive many opportunities to hit against left-handed pitching because he’s struggled against them throughout his career.
He even gave up switch-hitting because he didn’t feel like standing in the right-handed batter’s box was giving him much of an advantage.
The Cincinnati Reds didn’t have a choice in the 10th inning Friday with their bench empty. Barnhart, who saw the bullpen erode with a five-run lead, had to hit with runners on the corners and two outs against Arizona Diamondbacks lefty Alex Young.
Barnhart had his pitchers’ backs. He lined an RBI single into the left-center gap and started shouting toward his teammates as he ran up the first-base line.