Emotional Lorenzen honors late father with 1st MLB HR

CINCINNATI — Reds reliever Michael Lorenzen let the tears flow in the dugout Friday night after a powerfully emotional trot around the bases. How could they not? What were the odds something this amazing could happen for him under such difficult circumstances?

Back from the bereavement list following the death of his father, Clif, Lorenzen pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings and also batted for just the fourth time this season. And on the first pitch he saw from Pedro Baez in the bottom of the seventh, he slugged a three-run homer that capped the Reds’ 9-2 victory over the Dodgers. It was the first home run of Lorenzen’s career.

“Definitely, everything happens for a reason,” Lorenzen said. “It was something that I look and just praise God for. It was something special, not only for me, but for my family. Everyone that’s been supporting us, I just want to say thank you for the prayers and just the support. It’s really helped out a lot, just people reaching out. It’s humbled me, this whole situation. Everything that happened tonight, I don’t think I will ever feel that way again.”

Reds manager Bryan Price did not plan on giving Lorenzen a soft landing upon his return, since he told him he was ready to go pregame. Although Price gave him a 6-1 lead to protect with one out in the seventh, there were two men on.

Any thoughts of a late Dodgers comeback were put out when Lorenzen retired the final two batters of the seventh. Needed to pitch the next inning, he was given the chance to bat for himself in the bottom of the seventh with two men on and two out. Even getting the bat in his hands was no easy feat.

“Even after the third out of my first inning I threw, I had to go back into the bathroom because I broke down,” Lorenzen said. “There were some …

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