Seven losses in a row. That’s where the Cincinnati Reds are at after the Chicago Cubs pulled off a 4-game sweep of their divisional opponent at Wrigley Field on yet another disastrous game for the Reds that saw them lose Rhett Lowder to injury.
Cincinnati would get a single in both the 1st and 2nd innings but were unable to take advantage of it. Chicago got their first hit of the game in the bottom of the 2nd but it was a solo home run off the bat of Michael Conforto to put the Cubs up 1-0.
Rhett Lowder would walk the first two batters he saw in the 3rd inning but was able to get out of the jam with no damage done. He would start the 4th inning with back-to-back walks, too. His first pitch to Michael Busch was another ball and with that one manager Terry Francona and the trainer came out to the mound and after a discussion Lowder exited the game with what was later described as right shoulder discomfort.
Cincinnati turned to Connor Phillips to take over on the mound. He would give up a single off of the glove of Spencer Steer to load the bases with no outs. Phillips then walked in a run. The next batter hit a chopper to third base and Ke’Bryan Hayes fielded it, stepped on third for a force out and then threw home. Tyler Stephenson caught the ball and standing on the plate, but didn’t put the tag on the runner and the run scored as there was not a force out at the plate. A single back up the middle would follow to make it 4-0. Chicago kept on pushing runs across the plate from there and it was 8-0 before the inning came to an end.
The Reds had their lone highlight of the day to that point in the bottom of the 5th inning. With Luis Mey on the mound and one out, Michael Busch crushed a ball to center. Dane Myers had to track with to the wall before making a leaping grab to rob him of a hit. He got so high that as he caught the ball his glove touched the basket that overhangs the field.
In the top of the 6th they would get another highlight as Sal Stewart crushed his 10th home run of the season on a long homer that landed about 10 rows deep into the left-center bleachers. Cincinnati would load the bases with one out but back-to-back strikeouts of Hayes and Myers would strand everyone and keep the Cubs up by seven.
Elly De La Cruz would double to the wall in right with one out in the 7th and then Spencer Steer would draw a 2-out walk to put two men on for the visiting club. But once again the Reds were unable to come through with a hit when they had runners on base and both were stranded.
Cincinnati would get a run in the 8th inning when Blake Dunn hit a 1-out solo home run to cut the lead for the Cubs down to six runs. They would tack on one more run in the 9th when JJ Bleday doubled in Sal Stewart. But that was the last run they would score as they fell 8-3.
Key Moment of the Game
The bottom of the 4th inning. When Rhett Lowder exited the game it was 1-0 but the Cubs scored seven runs in the inning after that and put the game out of reach.
Notes Worth Noting
Blake Dunn was in an 0-19 slump dating back to last year with Cincinnati when the game began. He picked up a bunt single to break the streak and then added a home run and a walk later. While this was his 4th game of the season this was the first in which he had a chance to get into the batters box as he’s been used as a pinch runner in his previous three games.
Luis Mey and Jose Franco each tossed two shutout innings of relief.
The Reds went 2-8 with runners in scoring position and they left 15 men on base. Chicago went 3-9 with runners in scoring position and they left six men on.
Cincinnati pitchers had seven walks, hit a batter, and had just three strikeouts on the day. Cubs pitchers struck out 12 and had eight walks.
The loss was the 7th in a row for the Reds. It was also the Cubs 9th straight win, which is the second longest in MLB this year…. to the Cubs 10-game winning streak earlier this season.
Cincinnati is 1-9 against National League Central teams.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Houston Astros vs Cincinnati Reds
Friday May 8th, 6:10pm ET
Mike Burrows (1-4, 5.97 ERA) vs Nick Lodolo (season debut)