Saturday’s bout between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds was delayed nearly 3 1/2 hours due to inclement weather but provided plenty of fireworks once it was underway. Dueling four-run second innings got the offenses humming and a late two-run home run decided the winner late in the Chicago night.
The promising pitching match-up between Hunter Greene and Justin Steele became a footnote in this one, with Steele falling victim to a Seiya Suzuki error in right and Greene giving up a grand slam to Suzuki all in one inning. The Chicago bullpen was able to tighten the screws and preserve the 5-5 tie and eventually protect the 7-5 lead.
Offensive Fireworks Early in Chicago
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Saturday night’s contest between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds was touted as a pitcher’s duel between a pair of top-tier arms. Justin Steele was toeing the rubber for the hosting Cubs and Hunter Greene was going for the visiting Reds. The notion that this game would be a pitching clinic went by the wayside early, mostly at the hands of Seiya Suzuki.
In the top of the second, after striking out the first four he faced, Justin Steele gave up a hit, walked and hit consecutive batters to load the bases. Needing just one more out and facing the nine hole hitter, Luke Maile, Steele got the Cincinnati backstop to sky a lazy fly ball into right-center field where Seiya Suzuki was waiting below. The ball bounced off Suzuki’s glove and onto the wet outfield grass, allowing all three runners to come in and score.
Maile came in to score the fourth run of the inning on a Stuart Fairchild single in the next at-bat.
Hunter Greene took the mound in the second with a four-run lead but he did not have his best stuff Saturday night. After working out of a jam in the first, he started the second by walking three of the first four batters he saw, giving Seiya Suzuki a chance at redemption, and he did not waste it. With a full count, Suzuki jumped on a 98 MPH fastball and sent it over the wall in left field for his first career grand slam to tie up the game.
Pitchers Settle In After Hectic Second Inning
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After the Seiya Suzuki-dominated second inning, both pitchers started to settle down into the game. Each hurler allowed one more run in their outing before being relieved. For Greene, his control was still wavering and in the third, hit the first two batters of the inning before Nico Hoerner lined a ball into left field to drive in the Cubs’ fifth run and give them the 5-4 lead.
The lead was short-lived however, as in the top of the fourth Justin Steele gave up his only earned run of the night via former-Cub Jeimer Candelario, who floated an 89 MPH fastball into center field to plate a runner from third and tie the game at 5-5.
Neither starter had their best stuff and both had trouble with control in the rainy Wrigley Field conditions. Regardless, Justin Steele and Hunter Greene left with the game tied at 5-5.
Steele worked five innings, giving up season-highs with seven hits and four walks, five runs, although only one was earned, and striking out five on 98 pitches. Greene improved as the game wore on, finishing six innings, allowing the five runs on only three hits but walking five and striking out five on a season-high 111 pitches.
Chicago Cubs Shortstop Homers Late
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With both starters out of the game, the bullpens had this one in their hands, which worked out for the Cincinnati Reds in Friday’s series opener. David Bell went to Fernando Cruz to relieve Hunter Greene and Cruz worked a scoreless seventh. Bell then chose Lucas Sims to work the eighth. Sims started out fine, striking out Ian Happ. However, he then walked Nico Hoerner on four pitches. Dansby Swanson was next up in the order and stepped up to the plate.
Swanson had gone nearly a month without hitting a home run but late into the Saturday night air, his fifth long ball of the year sailed, just clearing the basket in left-center, eliciting a roar from the remaining fans who had braved the elements to see the Chicago Cubs take the 7-5 lead. On an 0-2 pitch after seeing three straight sliders, Lucas Sims left a fastball over the inside corner and paid for it, taking home his second loss of the season.
The tying run reached the plate in the ninth but the threat never made it past first base and Hector Neris shut the door on the Cincinnati Reds to even up the weekend series at one game apiece. For Neris, it was his seventh save of the year and brought the Chicago Cubs within one game of .500.
From This Series:
Chicago Cubs Losing Streak Continues with Loss to Cincinnati Reds
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