Pirates center fielder Bryan Reynolds robs Reds' Tyler Naquin of home run in loss

On a night when the Cincinnati Reds smacked three home runs, Bryan Reynolds robbed them of another.

The Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder continued to make a case for a Gold Glove when he reached over the wall to to prevent a two-run homer by Tyler Naquin in the fifth inning of Thursday’s 7-4 loss to the Reds at Great American Ball Park.

“It feels good to be on the defensive side of it,” Reynolds said. “I had it offensively one time and that’s not fun. Being able to return the favor is something that’s cool.”

Just give him the gold glove already. pic.twitter.com/KllGIcJ3Yu

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) August 6, 2021

It was the second spectacular catch by Reynolds this week. He stretched out to make a diving catch to rob the Milwaukee’s Tryone Taylor of a hit in the second inning of Monday’s 6-2 loss to the Brewers. Before Thursday’s game, Pirates manager Derek Shelton spoke about how Reynolds has worked with first base/outfield coach Tarrik Brock on improving his jumps since spring training, when he was starting in left field.

“Since he’s moved to center, the ability to get good jumps, good reads — I don’t know metrically where it stands, but it looks to be once he’s got the jumps, his closing speed has really improved,” Shelton said. “I think that’s a credit to the movements he’s making prior to the pitch being thrown, then when the ball is contacted.”

The Reds already had built a 7-0 lead, thanks to three homers off Pirates starter Wil Crowe. Jonathan India hit a solo shot in the first inning and Eugenio Suarez and Joey Votto added three-run homers in the second.

Kyle Farmer singled off Duane Underwood Jr. to start the fifth. That’s when Naquin, who has 13 home runs this season, drilled a 1-1 change-up to deep right-center.

With an exit velocity of 104.3 mph, Naquin’s fly ball ranked as the fifth-hardest hit ball of the game. It traveled 398 feet, second only to India’s homer to the second deck in left field. But Reynolds got a good jump and the ball carried, allowing him time to track it and get under it.

“Just a really high fly ball that gave me enough time to get the wall and make a play on it,” Reynolds said. “Just took my eyes off it to run backwards and kind of ran wrong. But I think that it’s probably a better way to approach it: going from my side rather than going straight back.”

While Underwood saluted Reynolds and right fielder Gregory Polanco exchanged a high five, Pirates left fielder Hoy Park watched in awe.

“I had goosebumps,” Park said. “That was a great catch. He always shows people what he can do.”