Kyle Hendricks took the mound Saturday afternoon in what was likely his final start with the Chicago Cubs. ‘The Professor” dazzled and harkened back to his best days with the Cubs in this one, working 7.1 innings of shutout baseball. In the second straight pitcher’s duel to start this season-ending series with the Cincinnati Reds, Hendricks led Chicago to the 3-0 victory and left the Wrigley faithful with a lasting memory of his decade-long career on the north side.
The Cubs plated all three of their runs with an eruption in the bottom of the eighth inning. After loading the bases, Chicago used walks and weak contact to move baserunners along. After being stifled for much of the game, the offensive rally did enough for Tyson Miller and Porter Hodge to finish what Hendricks started and make it 18 consecutive scoreless innings against the Reds to start this series.
Chicago Cubs Veteran Goes Out On High Note
Emotions were riding high at Wrigley Field on a dreary Saturday afternoon as Kyle Hendricks donned the mound for what is likely his final start with the Chicago Cubs. “The Professor” has struggled in 2024 and was able to turn the tide against the Cincinnati Reds. Hendricks turned back the clock to give Cubs fans a final look at what made him so dangerous for over a decade. He mixed speeds and locations effectively all day and induced weak contact on the ground and in the air all afternoon.
Hendricks left the mound to a rousing standing ovation after 7.1 innings of shutout baseball, allowing two hits and two walks, striking out two, and throwing 81 pitches. The only time the Reds threatened against Hendricks was in the seventh when they got a potential go-ahead run to second base. The crafty right-hander retired the next two hitters to strand the runner at second and keep the scoreless tie intact.
Hendricks Gets His Moment
After getting Santiago Espinal to ground out to start the eighth, Pitching Coach Tommy Hottovy labored out to the mound to take out Hendricks in an emotional moment that brought fans in attendance to their feet. After embracing his teammates on the mound and in the dugout, the reserved Hendricks reemerged from the dugout for a curtain call after a masterful performance that most likely capped a career. His Cubs career included clutch starts on the way to a World Series championship, a top three finish in Cy Young voting, and an approach that went against the grain in the current MLB landscape.
Chicago Cubs Clutch Down the Stretch
With the game still deadlocked at 0-0, Tyson Miller came in to relieve Hendricks. Miller gave up a single to his first batter but he was retired after sliding past second on a stolen base attempt. Miller made it out of the eighth with the game still tied. The Cubs offense came alive in the bottom of the frame, loading the bases with nobody out. Isaac Paredes broke his 0-of-21 pinch-hitting slump with a bloop single to push across the first run of the game.
Cincinnati brought in their Closer Alexis Diaz to try and limit the rally but after Elly De La Cruz gunned down Cody Bellinger trying to score, Pete Crow-Armstrong lifted another single over the infield for the second run, and pinch hitter Mike Tauchman walked to bring in the third salvo of the inning. Diaz retired the side after that to leave the bases juiced but Porter Hodge had more than enough support to get to the finish line.
Chicago Shuts The Door; Looks Ahead To Season Finale
Hodge worked a 1-2-3 ninth inning and capped off the emotional day on the season’s penultimate day with a save, his ninth of the year and his second straight. The Chicago Cubs will go for the sweep to end the year and extend the Cincinnati Reds losing streak to six games tomorrow afternoon. Craig Counsell announced that Shota Imanaga will not start tomorrow so it is unknown who will toe the rubber for the Chicago Cubs but whoever it is will go opposite Hunter Greene.
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