Benson's blunder costs the Reds in a 2-0 loss to the Cubs

A pitching duel broke out at Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon and the game came down to a defensive miscue late in the game that led to the Cubs scoring the only two runs of the game. Chicago’s pitching staff held the Cincinnati Reds to just one hit on the day in their 2-0 win that evened up the 3-game series.

Final
R
H
E

Cincinnati Reds (29-30)
0
1
0

Chicago Cubs (36-22)
2
8
0

W: Keller (2-0) L: Ashcraft (3-4) SV: Palencia (5)

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Chicago opted to go with an opener in the game and lefty Drew Pomeranz did his job as he sat the top of the Reds order down in the top of the 1st. The Cubs half of the inning began with a double by Ian Happ and then Nick Lodolo hit Kyle Tucker with a pitch. Three pitches in and the home team already had two men on base. Lodolo battled back, though, getting a pop up to shortstop and then an inning-ending ground ball double play to keep the game scoreless.

Ben Brown took over for the Cubs in the 2nd inning and he kept the Reds hitless through the 5th inning. Nick Lodolo allowed a few baserunners during that time but he kept Chicago off of the board and the game all tied up.

TJ Friedl could break up the no-hitter with two outs in the 6th inning on a grounder into center that was just out of the reach of a diving Nico Hoerner. He’d be stranded there. In the bottom of the inning it was Ian Happ once again leading off with a double. After getting a strikeout, Lodolo walked Seiya Suzuki to put two men on in the scoreless game. Just as he had done several times earlier in the game, though, the Reds lefty induced a ground ball that turned into a double play and the game remained scoreless.

After throwing 94 pitches in his six shutout innings, Nick Lodolo turned the game over to the bullpen and Scott Barlow for the 7th inning. He began the frame by walking Pete Crow-Armstrong on four pitches. The Cubs center fielder would then proceed to steal second base and get himself into scoring position with no one out. Barlow rebounded by striking out Dansby Swanson, Nico Hoerner, and Justin Turner in order to end the inning.

Cincinnati went down in order in their half of the 8th inning. Graham Ashcraft entered the game from the bullpen for the bottom of the frame and like Barlow before him, he walked the first batter he saw. He would get Ian Happ to ground into a force out, but Kyle Tucker followed with a bloop single into shallow right-center to put runners on 1st and 2nd for Seiya Suzuki. The Cubs #3 hitter then hit a lazy fly ball down the right field line but as Will Benson closed in on it he seemed to believe he was going to hit the wall and pulled up, allowing the ball to land in fair territory and bringing in the first run of the game. Ashcraft would then walk the next batter to load the bases. After a pop up by Pete Crow-Armstrong, Dansby Swanson hit a grounder to shortstop but busted it down the line and beat the throw to first for an RBI infield single that made it 2-0.

That ended the day for Ashcraft as the Reds went to the bullpen to bring in Lyon Richardson. He battled Nico Hoerner for eight pitches but won the battle by getting a ground out to end the threat.

Daniel Palencia took over for the Cubs in the 9th and got a little help from his defense. TJ Friedl hit a line drive to center and Pete Crow-Armstrong showed why he’s probably the best defensive outfielder in baseball as he made an outstanding diving catch to rob the Reds center fielder of his second hit of the game. Cincinnati sent Jake Fraley in to pinch hit for Santiago Espinal, but the move didn’t pay off as he struck out on four pitches to end the game in a 2-0 loss.

Key Moment of the Game

Will Benson not catching the fly ball in the 8th inning. It led directly to the 1st run of the game and opened up the inning for a second run that came with two outs.