The 1990 Reds had a close call as they had to win the last two contests of their opening round series to advance in the Stat-O-Matic Reds Tournament presented by Press Room Pass.
After falling 9-8 to 2010 in the first game, the 1990 team posted victories of 3-2 and 4-3.
In the finale, Tom Browning went the distance for 1990, while Billy Hatcher drove in the winning run.
Back-to-Back RBI singles by Laynce Nix and Orlando Cabrera gave the 2010 squad a 2-0 lead in the second inning before 1990 answered in the bottom of the frame.
Mariano Duncan‘s RBI single cut into the deficit and Joe Oliver followed with a two-run blast to make it 3-2.
Ryan Hanigan tied it with a solo homer in the fifth, but Browning would only allow a double by Jay Bruce the rest of the way. Bruce would have three of the six hits by the 2010 team as Browning fanned seven.
The 1990 team took the lead in the bottom of the eighth as Hatcher’s sacrifice fly off starter Travis Wood scored Oliver and proved to be the difference.
Game 2
Needing a win to stay alive in the tournament, Chris Sabo delivered for 1990 with a solo homer in the bottom of the eighth off starter Bronson Arroyo.
Jack Armstrong went the all the way for 1990 giving up eight hits with six strikeouts.
Armstrong gave up a run in the third on a double by Hanigan.
In the fourth, Hal Morris knocked in a run on a ground out for 1990 to tie it at 1-1. Morris followed with a solo shot to make it 2-1 in the seventh.
Joey Votto‘s RBI ground out in the top of the eighth made it 2-2 set the stage for Hatcher.
Game 1
A seven-run seventh inning put the 2010 team on top for good.
Trailing 7-2, the 2010 squad rallied against 1990 starter Jose Rijo, who surrendered five of the runs in the frame. Norm Carlton would get the loss as he gave up the final two scores.
Hanigan knocked in the first run with a single, while Scott Rolen and Drew Stubbs walked with the bases loaded.
Nix added a RBI on a sacrifice fly before Miguel Cairo, who made an out as a pinch-hitter earlier in the inning, finished the rally with a two-run single.
The 1990 team began the contest with RBI singles from Sabo, Paul O’Neill and Duncan. Morris gave 1990 a 4-0 advantage with a RBI double in the third.
A homer by Oliver and a run-scoring double by Barry Larkin in the fourth made it 6-0.
Rolen’s two run shot in the bottom of the fourth made it 6-2. A long ball by Sabo in the top of the seventh gave 1990 it’s five-run lead.
Following starter Johnny Cueto and Jordan Smith, Nick Masset worked the sixth and seventh innings to get the victory.
Arthur Rhodes pitched the eighth and gave up a bases loaded walk to Sabo before Francisco Cordero closed the door with a scoreless ninth to earn a save.
REDS TOURNAMENT RESULTS AND SCHEDULE
Semifinals
No. 1 1975 vs. No. 4 1970
No. 2 1990 vs. No. 3 1940
First Round
No. 1 1975 vs. No. 8 1995 (2-0) 6-2, 6-5
No. 4 1970 vs. No. 5 1961 (2-1) 2-1, 3-4, 11-7
No. 3 1940 vs. No. 6 1981 (2-0) 3-0, 8-0
No. 2 1990 vs. No. 7 2010 (2-1) 8-9, 3-2, 4-3