The Reds and Cubs faced off in a tense matchup, with the spotlight landing on Amir Garrett and Kyle Schwarber. Garrett, coming off a rough stretch on the mound, got a shot at redemption in the bottom of the ninth of a tied game. The Reds brought him in to face Schwarber, who’d been hot all series with big hits and even a triple. With the count starting fresh, Garrett worked Schwarber with a mix of pitches. He opened with a breaking ball on the inside edge, followed with a high fastball to change eye level, then dropped an off-speed pitch that got Schwarber swinging. Three pitches, three locations, one big strikeout.
Schwarber walked back to the dugout clearly frustrated, and Garrett let him hear about it. He taunted him a bit with a mix of sarcasm and mock apology, saying “oh I’m sorry, is that what you wanted?” It was classic Garrett flair without crossing the line. The tension fizzled before it could become anything more, but the moment stood out. Garrett hadn’t been sharp lately, so getting a key out against a hot hitter like Schwarber gave him a much-needed boost. It also highlighted the kind of emotional edge Garrett brings to the mound.