German Marquez shines as Rockies pull off gritty 3-2 win vs. the Reds

Victor Vodnik beat his chest, mouthed some choice words, and received a celebratory hug from catcher Hunter Goodman.

Why not? Vodnik had just closed out the Rockies’ grittiest victory of their difficult season.

After giving up a leadoff double, Vodnik struck out TJ Friedl, Matt McLain, intentionally walked the dangerous Elly De La Cruz, and then fanned cleanup hitter Austin Hayes to close out a 3-2 win over the Reds on Friday night at Great American Ball Park.

Colorado (22-72) fanned 16 times, which is usually a death knell. But its pitchers struck out the Red 13 times, including whiffing Hays four times — each time to end an inning.

The Rockies had multiple heroes, most especially starter German Marquez and third baseman Ryan McMahon, both of whom are the subject of trade rumors.

Colorado cobbled together the winning run in the eighth, combining a one-out walk by Hunter Goodman, a single to center by Jordan Beck, and a two-out infield single by McMahon to load the bases. Goodman scored on a wild pitch by reliever Tony Santillan, who overcooked a slider.

Cincinnati tied the game, 2-2, in the seventh inning off reliever Jake Bird. A leadoff single by Will Benson, a double by Noelvi Marte and an RBI groundout by Friedl knotted the game. Bird was in serious trouble, but he hung tough and struck out Hays for the third out.

Colorado took a 2-1 lead in the fourth on McMahon’s two-run homer off Reds starter Chase Burns. McMahon’s 13th homer came on a first-pitch curveball from the right-hander. McMahon drove the ball 414 feet.

McMahon, a streaky hitter, entered Friday’s game hitting 7 for 56 (.125) with 23 strikeouts over his last 16 games.

“That big homer from ‘Mac’ early on was good to see,” manager Warren Schaeffer told reporters in Cincinnati. “I know that’s a great big weight lifted off his shoulders, for sure.”

Marquez, in the final months of his contract and considered a prime trade candidate as the July 31 deadline approaches, conjured up visions of his 2021 All-Star season. The right-hander’s fastball was on point early, and his knuckle curve tied the Reds up as the game went on. Marquez pitched six innings, allowing one run on five hits with three walks (one intentional) and eight strikeouts.

Asked about key Marquez performing well as the trade deadline nears, Schaeffer said: “I don’t know what he was thinking, but he was all in for the team tonight. I expect nothing less from him. But everybody who is on the trade rumor block, they all got after it. I don’t even know what to say about that.”