Mohawk power: Reddick walks off Mets?
PHOENIX -- A few days ago, veteran outfielder Josh Reddick felt like something needed to be done to shake the D-backs out of their losing ways.
So, he surprised his teammates by showing up in the clubhouse one afternoon sporting a mohawk.
How much of an impact that had on the mood of the team is subject to interpretation, but there is no debate that Reddick's actions on the field Tuesday helped a lot more.
Reddick lined a double just fair down the right-field line to drive home a pair of runs as the D-backs walked off the Mets, 6-5, in 10 innings at Chase Field.
"Got a breaking ball down and in," Reddick said of the pitch from Trevor May. "Luckily, it stayed fair for me. Keeping my mindset and my approach to go the other way helped me stay on that offspeed pitch."
As the D-backs players celebrated on the field, there was talk of mohawks for everyone, but whether they will follow through remains to be seen. Reddick added some red coloring to the mohawk Tuesday at the suggestion of his wife to take his cut next-level.
After an offseason in which he said he did not receive any contract offers, Reddick signed a Minor League deal with the D-backs on April 12 and began the year with Triple-A Reno before being called up May 20.
"Reddick¡¯s awesome," infielder Josh Rojas said. "Both on the field and in the clubhouse. I think he was the spark that this team needed. He¡¯s a veteran guy who¡¯s been doing it a long time. I knew when we signed him he¡¯s a great guy, he¡¯s going to bring a lot of energy in the clubhouse and produce in the field. Great at-bats, consistent at-bats. Finding holes. Tonight was a prime example of the kind of veteran leadership he brings to this team with a clutch at-bat there in extra innings."
? Benches clear after Stroman-Rojas quarrel
And the mohawk?
"That was a team thing," Rojas said. "He did that for the team, trying to get something going. Some guys were shaving different designs on their face. He went mohawk one day and came back today with a red mohawk. I loved it. I think most people loved it. I¡¯m a big fan of it. I think it¡¯s going to stick for a little bit."
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Will we see Rojas sporting one when the series concludes Wednesday afternoon?
"I don¡¯t know about that," Rojas said with a laugh.
After a miserable stretch, the D-backs sure needed the laughs brought about by Reddick¡¯s new do. Arizona went 5-24 in May and its win Tuesday was just the second in the last 16 contests.
"When you go on stretches like we just went on, sometimes you¡¯ve got to switch things up," Reddick said. "[I] felt the need to come in and surprise the boys, try to switch up the mojo and get our minds off things. Make a bad look and try to turn things around. It¡¯s doing its job right now. Hopefully, it¡¯s something we can continue to do. Sometimes you¡¯ve got to switch things up. It¡¯s just hair. It¡¯ll grow back."