The Cincinnati Reds scored a run in the top of the 8th inning to break what was then a 3-3 tie, but the bullpen couldn’t hold on. The Cubs would score two runs in the bottom of the 9th, capping the game off with a walk-off home run as Chicago kept their winning streak alive with late heroics off the bench.
The Reds would get two 2-out singles by Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart in the top of the 1st inning, but they would be stranded there on a strikeout that ended the threat. The next inning they would get two more runners on, this time via a single and then a 2-out walk, but both guys were stranded once again.
Third time’s a charm, or so the saying goes. Edward Cabrera’s curveball landed in the bottom inside corner of the strikezone on the third pitch of the inning, but JJ Bleday went down and got it for a 394-foot home run that was an absolute laser off of his bat. That put Cincinnati up 1-0 and gave them their first lead since May 1st in the 1st inning against Pittsburgh.
The Reds went back to work with a little 2-out rally in the top of the 4th inning. Will Benson got things going with a 5-pitch walk. The next pitch thrown landed just over the basket in left field as Ke’Bryan Hayes picked up a 2-run homer to extend the lead to 3-0.
Chase Petty had been pounding the strikezone through the first three frames, throwing just 36 pitches. But he began the 4th inning with back-to-back walks. He then fell behind Seiya Suzuki 1-0 before Suzuki hit a 96 MPH fastball 455 feet into center field for a game-tying home run. Petty rebounded after that and retired the next three hitters, but the damage had been done.
Cincinnati found themselves in position to take the lead in the top of the 6th inning after singles by Spencer Steer and Will Benson left them with two men on for Ke’Bryan Hayes. This time around he couldn’t get the job done as he struck out looking to strand both runners. Petty came back out for the 6th and got a weak grounder that he fielded on the third base line and fired a bullet to first to get Alex Bregman. He then struck out Ian Happ. Seiya Suzuki would follow up with a soft line drive single into center and that spelled the end of the day for Petty as manager Terry Francona called on Brock Burke out of the bullpen. He needed one pitch to get out of the inning and keep the game tied up.
Cincinnati got a walk from Nathaniel Lowe to lead off the 8th. Blake Dunn was called on to pinch run for him and proceeded to steal 2nd base. Spencer Steer then singled into left field and Dunn raced around to score on a headfirst slide on a bang-bang play at the plate that put the Reds up 4-3.
After Graham Ashcraft finished out the 7th inning he came back out for the 8th. He ran into trouble that was all on himself as he walked the leadoff hitter before getting outs from the next two batters. But then he would fall behind Seiya Suzuki had intentionally walk him. Another walk followed to load the bases. The Reds chose to stick with him and that paid off as Ashcraft struck out Carson Kelly on three pitches to stand the bases loaded and hold onto the 1-run lead.
Still holding onto a 4-3 lead, Cincinnati turned the game over to closer Emilio Pagan in the bottom of the 9th inning to face the 8-9-1 hitters for the Cubs. Pete Crow-Armstrong led off the inning with a long fly ball to center and as Dane Myers jumped near the wall he seemed to lose the ball and had it hit the ivy behind him, allowing Crow-Armstrong to turn it into a triple and put the tying run just 90 feet away. Pagan came back with a strikeout, but Nico Hoerner took the first pitch he saw and lined out to left field, but it was just deep enough to plate the game-tying run.
The Cubs then called on Michael Conforto to pinch hit for Matt Shaw. Six pitches later the move paid off as he slugged a walk-off home run as Chicago completed the comeback win, pushing their winning streak to six and the Reds losing streak to four.
Key Moment of the Game
The Cubs bottom of the 9th inning. Whether it was the misplay by Myers to turn what likely should have been an out into a triple that led to the tying run or the walk-off home run that Emilio Pagan gave up to Conforto, the entire thing was a disaster for Cincinnati.
Notes Worth Noting
Elly De La Cruz went 3-4 with a walk. Spencer Steer went 2-4 and had an RBI. No other Red hitter had multiple hits in the game.
Cincinnati pitchers walked six batters in the game and only had five strikeouts. Cubs pitchers had four walks and had 12 strikeouts.
After starting the season 12-0 in games decided by two runs or fewer the Reds have now lost back-to-back games decided by two runs of fewer.
Sal Stewart entered the day with no hits in his last 18 at-bats. That streak ended in the 1st inning with a line drive single into left field.
Emilio Pagan’s ERA now sits at 6.43 and he’s blown three saves in nine opportunities. His walk rate, hit rate, and home run rate are all up from last season and his strikeout rate is down.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs
Tuesday May 5th, 7:40pm ET
Andrew Abbott (1-2, 5.97 ERA) vs Jameson Taillon (2-1, 4.41 ERA)