Sitting at 26-33 over a third of the way into the season doesn’t exactly feel good. However, the Cincinnati Reds have managed two win six of their last nine games to build some positive momentum. The Milwaukee Brewers seem to be running away with the National League Central, but the Reds are still right in the thick of the playoff picture. Despite being seven games below .500, they sit just two and a half games out the final wild card spot. If Cincinnati can continue to string together series wins they can really turn this season around.
The Reds got an important series win over the weekend taking two out of three games at Wrigley Field. Nick Lodolo looks like a star, Spencer Steer is getting going at the plate, and the bullpen is finding some go-to pieces. The next seven games against teams below .500 will go a long way to making a run at a National League Wild Card spot.
On Monday, Cincinnati heads west to take on the Colorado Rockies. At 21-37, they are one of the worst teams in baseball. Andrew Abbott will take the ball at 8:40 p.m. Eastern Time Monday night. Frankie Montas and Graham Ashcraft are also scheduled to start at Coors Field. Then, the Reds will return to Great American Ball Park for a four game set with the Cubs. Hunter Greene will get the Thursday night start on MLB Network to begin that one. Going 5-2 in these next seven would really close the gap on getting back to .500.
Pinch-Hit Home Run Sparks Series-Opening Win
Friday afternoon’s series opener started off exactly how most games against the Chicago Cubs seem to go. After making it through a clean top of the first, Graham Ashcraft allowed a single up the middle to Christopher Morel. Then, noted Cincinnati Reds killer Ian Happ stepped to the plate and connected on a two-run home run giving the Cubs an early 2-0 lead. Tyler Stephenson and Nick Martini tied the game with back-to-back RBI singles in the fourth, but Happ and the Cubs would answer in agonizing fashion.
Ashcraft hit Yan Gomes with a pitch to put the leadoff runner on board. He then walked Mike Tauchman before recording a pair of outs to seemingly right the ship. However, things got ugly with two outs and runners on first and third. Having already allowed two free passes to begin the inning, Ashcraft walked Morel to load the bases. That base on balls marked the end of Ashcraft’s day as manager David Bell turned to Fernando Cruz. His command wasn’t any better though as Happ would draw a nine-pitch bases loaded walk. For those keeping track at home, that would be three walks and a hit by pitch to allow the Cubs to score without needing to make contact with the baseball. Luckily, the inability to throw strikes wouldn’t cost Cincinnati the game.
In the seventh inning, Santiago Espinal stepped to the plate as a pinch-hitter for Will Benson. He promptly connected on one and sent it 385-feet into the left centerfield bleachers giving the Reds a 4-3 advantage. TJ Friedl would then tack on what would prove to be a much-needed insurance run int he top of the ninth. Seiya Suzuki drove in a run in the bottom half of the final frame, but Nick Madrigal, representing the tying run, was gunned down at home plate by an absolute rock relay throw from Elly De La Cruz. Alexis Cruz shut the door for his 11th save and gave the Cincinnati Reds a hard-fought 5-4 victory.
Long Ball Powers Cubs After Rain Delay
Saturday night’s game didn’t get started until nearly 10:30 p.m. Eastern Time due to rain. Those who stayed up until the wee hours of Sunday morning were treated with an exciting game, but it did not end well for fans of the Cincinnati Reds. Despite leading 4-0 in the middle of the second, the Reds would ultimately fall to the Chicago Cubs 7-5 to even the series.
Admittedly, the Reds were very fortunate to score the four runs that the did in the top of the second inning. With the bases loaded, Luke Maile appeared to fly out to right centerfield to end the inning. However, Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki dropped a routine fly ball allowing all three runners to score. Then, Stuart Fairchild singled to score Maile making it a 4-0 game. All of the damage could have been avoided if Suzuki had caught the pop up. The rain coming down at Wrigley Field likely played a roll in the otherwise egregious error.
Cubs fans couldn’t stay mad at Suzuki for long though. In the bottom half of the second, just after almost single-handily allowing four runs to score,he answered with a 400-foot grand slam into the left field bleachers to tie the game. You couldn’t have asked for a better, or quicker, way to erase his earlier mistake. The Cubs and Reds then traded runs in the third and fourth innings and held a 4-4 tie into the bottom of the eight.
Fernando Cruz pitched out of a jam in the seventh, but Lucas Sims had no such luck in the eight. Dansby Swanson connected on a two-run home run which would prove to be the game-winner. Hector Neris shut the door in the ninth as the Cubs evened up the series with a 7-5 win.
Reds Win Sunday Afternoon Rubber Match
The Cincinnati Reds have a potential star in Nick Lodolo. If the 26-year old left-hander can stay healthy he is a legitimate top of the rotation ace. He looked the part on Sunday at Wrigley Field allowing just two runs on seven hits in six innings to earn the win. Lodolo is now 5-2 on the season with a 3.11 earned run average. Nick Martinez continued his dominance out of the bullpen as well. He bridged the gap to Alexis Diaz allowing just one hit across the seventh and eighth innings. Then, the Reds closer recorded his 12th save to finish off a 5-2 victory.
Aside from a great all-around performance on the mound, Cincinnati benefited from a big second inning. Jake Fraley doubled, Tyler Stephenson singled, and Jacob Hurtubise was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jonathan India brought one home with a sacrifice fly, but then Will Benson struck out. That brought TJ Friedl to the plate with two on and two out. The outfielder connected on an 0-2 pitch left over the plate and drove it into the right centerfield bleachers to blow the game open at 4-0.
Ultimately, the 4-0 lead would prove to have been enough, but Fraley added a sacrifice fly in the third to make it 5-0. Cincinnati’s bats went mostly cold from there. The Cubs scored in both the fifth and sixth innings but could never get over the hump. With the 5-2 victory the Reds would leave Wrigley Field taking two out of three in the series.
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