The Cincinnati Reds picked up a big win over the San Diego Padres on Tuesday night, and manager Terry Francona deserves plenty of credit for one decision that paid off at a huge moment.

With Jose Trevino due up with the bases loaded and Tyler Stephenson available off the bench, Francona elected to stick with Trevino rather than turn to his starting catcher as a pinch-hitter.

The decision worked. Trevino laced a line drive up the middle to give the Reds a 3-2 lead before Juan Brito followed with an RBI single.

After the game, Francona explained his decision to stick with Trevino in that situation.

"I just know he can get to velocity," Francona said of Trevino. "That guy for them was throwing 98, 99. I also know he could hit into a double play, but we had Steve-o behind him if he didn't drive him in, but he had a really good at-bat and so did Brito."

The numbers show exactly why.

The Numbers Back Francona Up

Trevino entered the night hitting .269 against pitches 95 mph or faster this season with an impressive .615 slugging percentage. For comparison, big-league hitters are batting .240 with a .376 slugging percentage against 95-plus mph pitches.

That means Trevino isn't simply good against velocity compared to his Reds teammates. He has been significantly better than the league as a whole.

Stephenson, who was on deck and going to pinch-hit if Trevino got out, has also handled velocity well, batting .299 with a .494 slugging percentage against pitches of at least 95 mph.

But Francona trusted Trevino, and it paid off.

It’s notable because the Reds have struggled as a team against velocity. Matt McLain (.132 AVG/.276 SLG), TJ Friedl (.115/.197), Eugenio Suárez (.170/.264), Ke'Bryan Hayes (.195/.317) and Spencer Steer (.172/.264) are among the Reds hitters who have struggled against pitches of at least 95 mph this season

Francona had a specific reason for sticking with Trevino in such a huge spot, and it was one the average fan would have never known. The numbers backed up his thinking, and ultimately, so did the result. It was a small decision that ended up making a big difference in the Reds’ win.

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