The Cincinnati Reds bullpen had one of the worst series in franchise history and on Sunday the Cubs made sure it hurt as they scored eight runs down the stretch to complete a come from behind win, giving Chicago the series victory at Great American Ball Park.
Final
R
H
E
Chicago Cubs (32-21)
11
13
0
Cincinnati Reds (26-28)
8
11
0
W: Pomeranz (2-) L: Rogers (1-2) SV: Palencia (2)
Statcast | Box Score | Game Thread
Nick Lodolo got himself into trouble in the top of the 1st when he issued a 1-out walk to Kyle Tucker. A single followed to put two men on. Then Lodolo uncorked a wild pitch to move both runners up and then they both came in to score on a single by Pete Crow-Armstrong that put Chicago up 2-0.
Cincinnati’s offense was ready for the task in their half of the inning. Two walks started the inning before a force out left runners on the corners with one out. The Reds then got RBI singles from Austin Hays, Jose Trevino, and Will Benson that put them up 3-2. Ben Brown then threw a wild pitch that brought in the 4th run of the inning. Reese McGuire, a late addition to the Cubs lineup, got one of those runs back in the top of the 2nd inning with a 2-out solo home run.
That’s where the game stayed until the bottom of the 5th inning. The Reds got the inning started on a single by Matt McLain that traveled about 12 feet, but he legged it out for the infield hit. TJ Friedl followed up with a single of his own and then Elly De La Cruz came through with an RBI single to extend the lead to 5-3. Austin Hays saw a hanging curveball and hit it into the left field corner for a 2-run triple and ended the day for Ben Brown as he walked off the mound with Chicago trailing 7-3. Jose Trevino then came through with a 2-out RBI double to push the lead to five runs for the home team.
The day was over for Nick Lodolo after five innings and the Reds called on Scott Barlow to enter the game for the top of the 6th inning. He walked the first two batters he saw before getting a visit from pitching coach Derek Johnson. Barlow would get a ground out and a line out from the next two hitters, but he threw a wild pitch to Ian Happ that brought in a run before striking him out to end the inning.
Graham Ashcraft took over for Cincinnati in the 7th and got two outs to start the frame, but the Cubs put together a 2-out rally after that with two singles that were followed up by a 2-run double that bounced off of the wall in left-center by Nico Hoerner. Michael Busch then blooped a single into shallow right field to bring in another run and cut the Reds lead to just one. Ashcraft would get a strikeout to strand the tying run at first base.
The bullpen woes continued in the top of the 8th inning as Reese McGuire, playing in his first game in the big leagues this season, hit his second home run of the game to begin the inning and tie things up. Taylor Rogers followed up by issuing a walk and giving up a single before the Reds called on Luis Mey out of the bullpen to try and get out of the jam he inherited. He didn’t. Seiya Suzuki took the 5th pitch Mey threw and hit it 116 MPH into the seats for a go-ahead 3-run home run to give Chicago an 11-8 lead.
Cincinnati would get singles from Matt McLain and TJ Friedl in the bottom of the 8th, but Santiago Espinal struck out to end the inning. After a scoreless top of the 9th, the Reds sent the heart of the order to the plate against Daniel Palencia. Elly De La Cruz lined a single into left to get the inning going and try to start a rally. The rally never came as Palencia sat the next three hitters down in order to seal an 11-8 victory for Chicago.
Key Moment of the Game
Seiya Suzuki’s 3-run home run in the 8th inning that gave the Cubs the lead.
Notes Worth Noting
The Reds led this game by five runs in a game where if they had won it would have given them a series win in a series that they lost the first game of. They haven’t won such a series since June of 2023. Incredible.
Spencer Steer’s hitting streak came to an end at 12 games. He came off of the bench as a pinch hitter mid-game and went 0-3 with three strikeouts.
The Cubs hit nine home runs in the series. The Reds hit one.
From Joel Luckhaupt: 21 runs scored by the Cubs in the 7th inning or later in this series. That’s the most the Reds have given up in a 3-game series since at least 1901.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Kansas City Royals
Monday, May 26th, 4:10pm ET
Nick Martinez (2-5, 3.43 ERA) vs Michael Lorenzen (3-5, 3.77 ERA)
