Reds nip Jays on Christian Encarnacion-Strand's walk-off HR

Christian Encarnacion-Strand drilled a hanging slider from Jordan Hicks into the upper deck in left with one out in the ninth to give the Cincinnati Reds a 1-0 walk-off win over the visiting Toronto Blue Jays on Friday.

Alexis Diaz (5-4) pitched a perfect ninth to earn the win, the Reds' third in four games.

Hicks (2-8), who allowed a long line drive out to right by Joey Votto before the homer, took the loss for the Blue Jays, who fell for the fifth time in seven games.

Brett Kennedy gave the Cincinnati Reds five shutout innings as a spot starter, pitching out of trouble in the first three innings. Kennedy allowed just three hits, struck out two and walked one in his second spot start of the season.

Toronto starter Jose Berrios didn't allow a hit until Matt McLain's single to center with one out in the sixth. Berrios then walked Elly De La Cruz on four pitches before Spencer Steer grounded into a force play for the second out.

With runners on the corners, lefty reliever Genesis Cabrera entered in relief of Berrios and retired Votto on one pitch, getting a groundout to first base.

The Blue Jays had runners in scoring position in each of the first three innings but went hitless in six chances.

Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. made an alert play in the field to end the seventh. Following a one-out single from Tyler Stephenson, Will Benson lifted a pop fly on the infield.

Guerrero allowed the ball to fall as Benson stopped running halfway down to first base. Guerrero flipped to first for the first out, and the Blue Jays easily completed the inning-ending double play.

The Reds threatened with two outs in the eighth against Blue Jays reliever Erik Swanson.

McLain reached on a chopper to third that Matt Chapman lost on the transfer from glove to hand. De La Cruz followed with a walk, but Swanson fanned Steer to keep the game scoreless headed to the ninth.