KSReds: Cincinnati Reds Suffer Series Loss to Chicago Cubs
In the midst of a playoff push, the Cincinnati Reds suffered an ugly series loss to the Chicago Cubs. After Monday night’s offensive explosion of 14 runs on 14 hits, the Reds responded with back-to-back one-run performances. On Tuesday and Wednesday, a single solo home run provided the scoring and Cincinnati hit a combined 0-10 with runners in scoring position.
Losing two out of three games to a team playing a lot of minor leaguers is never ideal, but it is all about the wild card standings at this point in the season. At worst, the Reds will go to sleep tonight 2.5 games out of the postseason. There is some important perspective there. However, at some point, you do have to actually make up that ground.
The schedule rolls on giving Cincinnati no time to sulk in the back-to-back losses. The Reds will remain at Great American Ball Park for a four-game series with the Miami Marlins beginning Thursday night at 7:10 p.m. Eastern Time. Miami, currently 51-69, is another bad team that the Reds must take care of. Luis Castillo will take the ball in game one and then Sonny Gray, Wade Miley, and Vladimir Gutierrez will round out the series.
Votto’s Historic Night
As you can expect for a 37-year-old future Hall of Famer, Joey Votto is starting to experience several milestones. This season he had already hit his 300th home run and drove in his 1000th RBI. On Monday night at Great American Ball Park, Votto added 2000 hits to his bio.
Votto’s seventh-inning single earned a standing ovation as the most recent milestone was met. It was part of a 3-4 night at the plate. The six-time All-Star and former MVP continues to add to his legacy as one of the greatest Reds of all time.
All of the Cincinnati Reds experienced a great deal of success on Monday as the team broke out for 14 runs on 14 hits against the National League Central rival Chicago Cubs. An eight-run seventh inning blew the game open to hand the Cubs their 12th consecutive loss.
Once again, Jonathan India led the way for the Reds going 3-6 at the plate with five RBI. India belted his 16th home run of the season in the fourth inning to get the scoring started. The future Rookie of the Year then cleared the bases with a three-RBI double in the seventh.
Aristides Aquino also went deep hitting a 442-foot shot in the 5th inning. “The Punisher” was 2-4 with three RBI.
Tucker Barnhart rounded out the Reds with multi-hit games going 2-4 including a two-run home run that capped off the scoring in the 8th inning.
Not to be outdone by the offense, Wade Miley turned in yet another spectacular pitching performance. The veteran left-hander tossed seven innings of shutout baseball allowing just four hits and striking out seven. Miley moved to 10-4 on the year with a dazzling 2.84 earned run average.
In relief, Heath Hembree gave up five runs on five hits in the eighth inning to spoil the shutout. Jeff Hoffman then recorded the final four outs of the game as the Reds would capture a 14-5 victory.
Reds Offense Dies Down Against Kyle Hendricks
Just 24 hours after scoring 14 runs, the Cincinnati Reds put up just one run on Tuesday night. Facing veteran Kyle Hendricks, the Reds’ offense simply could never get anything going. Hendricks would earn his Major League-leading 14th win holding Cincy to one run on three hits in six innings.
The only damage done at the plate all game long was a Nick Castellanos solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning. An 0-6 performance with runners in scoring position left the few baserunners the Reds could manage stranded.
A poor night with the bats let a strong start from rookie Vladimir Gutierrez go to waste. Gutierrez, who has been very productive in the starting rotation, allowed two runs in 6 1/3 innings while striking out seven. It gets mentioned after nearly every start, but he has solidified his position in the rotation moving forward.
The 2-1 loss to the Cubs evened the series at one game apiece and set up an important rubber match on Wednesday afternoon. The Cubs snapped a 12-game losing streak with the victory. Luckily, the Padres lost again as well to keep the wild card race at 1.5 games.
Cincinnati Reds Fall in Rubber Match
For the second straight game, the Cincinnati Reds couldn’t get anything going at the plate. Maybe all of the offense was used up in Monday night’s 14-run affair. On Wednesday afternoon, the Reds scored just one run via home run as they fell to the Cubs 7-1.
Noted Reds killer Ian Happ got the ball rolling in the first inning with a deep blast into the right-field seats for a 1-0 lead. Then, the wheels fell off for Tyler Mahle in the second. Chicago would plate four runs in the inning to balloon their lead to 5-0.
After the ugly first two frames, Mahle actually settled in and got through five innings. The right-hander got shelled for eight hits and five runs.
Offensively, the Reds received a solo home run from Tyler Naquin in the bottom of the second and that is it. For the second straight night, their lone run came via the long ball.
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