Red alert: Stephenson walks it off for Cincinnati

A run-of-the-mill home run just isn't enough for Tyler Stephenson.

The No. 4 Reds prospect slugged a pinch-hit walk-off homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead Cincinnati past visiting Pittsburgh, 3-1, in the first game of Monday's doubleheader. The two-run blast was Stephenson's second roundtripper as a big leaguer and his first since his initial at-bat in The Show on July 27.

Sixth-ranked Reds prospect Jose Garcia set up his fellow rookie's heroics with a two-out single to left field.

Fourth-ranked #Reds prospect Tyler Stephenson -- with No. 6 Jose Garcia aboard -- gloriously walks it off for Cincinnati.

🦾🦾pic.twitter.com/OybhC6dA84

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 14, 2020

After his teammates gave up a 1-0 lead in the top of the frame, Stephenson stepped to the plate against Sam Howard. The Pittsburgh southpaw utilized six pitches to retire the first two batters of the inning before Garcia's second single of the day set the stage for Stephenson's heroics. The 24-year-old took ball one and sent Howard's second pitch over the fence in left-center to put an exclamation point on his return to the bigs.

“First pitch, it’s a cutter-slider first pitch. He threw one down, good pitch, it was a ball,” Stephenson told MLB.com. “And then the next pitch was elevated, and sure enough, that’s the one you want to hit, and I didn’t miss it.

“That’s what’s nice being here, we have the luxury of having cages down in the tunnel. I was hitting all game, just ready for an opportunity. I was loose and ready to go.”

It took a while for Stephenson to get on the road back to Cincinnati. After becoming the third Reds player to homer in his first Major League at-bat, the Atlanta native returned to the club's alternate training site two days later. Stephenson came back to Cincinnati last Thursday and collected an RBI single in four at-bats.

The 11th pick in the 2015 Draft might not have Triple-A experience and only 89 at-bats at the Double-A level last year, but he has gone 5-for-11 with six RBIs to begin his big league career.

Second-ranked #Pirates prospect Ke'Bryan Hayes hadn't homered since his first big league game. That streak is over. pic.twitter.com/dKODHEFrT1

— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) September 15, 2020

“I can’t imagine everything that’s happened really,” Stephenson said.

Garcia collected his second consecutive multi-hit effort. He also singled to left in the fifth.

The Reds completed the sweep with a 9-4 victory in the nightcap despite a two-run homer from Ke'Bryan Hayes. The No. 2 Pirates prospect is batting .316/.381/.605 with two long balls, six runs scored and five RBIs in 38 at-bats.

In other action:

Orioles 14, Braves 1

Ryan Mountcastle continued his assault on big league pitching with his ninth multi-hit performance in 22 big league games. Baltimore's fifth-ranked prospect shook off a 2-for-12 showing during a four-game sweep by the Yankees against Atlanta. Mountcastle smacked his fifth home run, singled twice and equaled his career high with three RBIs. MLB.com's No. 98 overall prospect is batting .364/.425/.610 with nine extra-base hits and 18 RBIs. Fifth-ranked Braves prospect Bryse Wilson surrendered a solo homer and fanned two in one inning of relief. Box score

Marlins 6, Phillies 2

Miami's No. 4 prospect Jazz Chisholm contributed an RBI knock in four plate appearances. Eighth-ranked Philadelphia prospect Rafael Marchan singled in his first Major League at-bat and finished 1-for-3. Top prospect Alec Bohm went 0-for-4 after hitting safely in eight of his last nine games. Box score

Brewers 2, Cardinals 1 (Game 1, 8 innings)

Milwaukee’s 23rd-ranked prospect Tyrone Taylor began the eighth as the designated runner on second base and scored the tying run on a double by Ryan Braun. Keston Hiura lifted a game-winning sacrifice fly to left two batters later. Box score

Cardinals 3, Brewers 2 (Game 2, 9 innings)

Milwaukee’s 10th-ranked prospect Drew Rasmussen tossed two hitless frames while fanning three. The righty extended his shutout streak to 4 1/3 innings. No. 23 Tyrone Taylor worked a walk in the eighth. Box score

Athletics 9, Mariners 0 (Game 2)

In the third, Oakland’s ninth-ranked prospect Jonah Heim singled in a run and came around to score during a five-run frame. The 25-year-old has four knocks in his last three games. Seattle’s No. 25 prospect Donovan Walton led off the third with a base hit, but was erased from the basepaths after getting caught stealing. Box score

Padres 7, Dodgers 2

Jorge Ona put San Diego ahead to stay with an RBI double off Clayton Kershaw. The No. 23 Padres prospect added a single and scored a run. Tenth-ranked Jorge Mateo struck out in both of his at-bats, leaving him 3-for-21 to start his Major League career. Top Dodgers prospect Gavin Lux was 0-for-2 and has gone hitless in 11 at-bats since his two-homer, five-RBI performance Sept. 8. Box score

White Sox 3, Twins 1

Third-ranked Chicago prospect Nick Madrigal opened the scoring for the South Siders with an RBI knock in the second. The 23-year-old is batting .355 this year. No. 25 Codi Heuer worked around two hits and a pair of walks, fanning one in a scoreless frame of relief. The right-hander has not allowed a run in six appearances this month (6 2/3 innings) and is sporting a 0.91 WHIP and a .145 average against this season. Minnesota’s 16th-ranked prospect Jorge Alcala whiffed both batters he faced in the eighth. Box score