The Cincinnati Reds offense couldn’t get anything going once again in Chicago as they managed just three hits on the day as the Cubs shut them out for a second consecutive game. The 3-0 loss dropped the Reds into a tie for last place with the Pittsburgh Pirates.
| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Reds (76-85) | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| Chicago Cubs (83-78) |
3 | 8 | 0 |
| W: Miller (5-1) L: Farmer (3-2) SV: Hodge (9) |
|||
| Box Score | Game Thread | |||
For a second straight day the starting pitchers were locked in a duel in Chicago for a bit. Rhett Lowder ran into some trouble in the bottom of the 3rd inning, though. Ian Happ picked up a 1-out single and then Lowder issued back-to-back 2-out walks to load the bases. The Reds rookie was able to get out of the jam.
On the other side it was Kyle Hendricks, who has struggled much of the year, dominating the Reds lineup. Through five innings he had allowed just one hit and thrown just 55 pitches. Lowder got through the bottom of the inning while working around a single, but his pitch count sat at 91.
Cincinnati went to the bullpen for the start of the 6th inning and handed the game over to Tony Santillan. He and Buck Farmer took care of the Cubs offense for the next two innings. Chicago kept Hendricks in the game into the 8th. He would get the first hitter of the inning out, but that would be the final batter he faced. Hendricks, who is a free agent after 11 seasons with the Cubs, got a standing ovation from the home crowd as he walked to the dugout.
For a moment it seemed things had a chance to go right for the Reds after Hendricks exited the game. Noelvi Marte greeted Tyson Miller with a single just two pitches into his appearance, but Marte was then caught stealing second base after he overslid the bag and couldn’t get his hand back before the tag was applied.
The bottom of the inning saw Buck Farmer return to the mound and give up a leadoff double to Dansby Swanson. That led to a mound visit and a pitching change, with Justin Wilson coming into the game to face a lefty. It seems the Reds didn’t read their own set of stats that show Wilson has allowed lefties to put up a .907 OPS against him this season and they paid for it as Cody Bellinger took the first pitch he saw and lined it into center for a single. Wilson then intentionally walked Seiya Suzuki to load the bases.
The Cubs also didn’t seem to be aware of those splits and called on a righty to hit for left-handed Michael Busch. The move worked in their favor, though, as Isaac Paredes lined a single into center to push the first run of the day across the plate. That ended the day for Wilson as Alexis Diaz made his way in from the bullpen after that.
The Reds brought the infield in and Diaz got a grounder to short where Elly De La Cruz made a charging play and fired home to get the force out. Pete Crow-Armstrong followed up with a line drive into center for an RBI single that pushed the Cubs lead to 2-0. With the bases still loaded, Chicago picked up another run on a 4-pitch walk. Back-to-back pop ups would end the inning without any further damage.
In the top of the 9th the Reds didn’t put up much of a fight. Spencer Steer appeared to have a hit with two outs on an outstanding play by Dansby Swanson at shortstop, but the Cubs challenged the call that on replay Swanson’s throw got there in time and the game ended in a 3-0 win for Chicago.
Key Moment of the Game
Bringing in Justin Wilson to face the lefties in the Cubs lineup despite him pitching significantly worse against left-handed hitters this season than right-handed hitters. He wound up allowing an inherited runner to score and then being charged with the other two runs in the game after allowing all three batters he faced to reach before he was lifted from the game.
Notes Worth Noting
The Reds are now in last place, tied with the Pittsburgh Pirates at 76-85 on the year. Cincinnati’s final game will be against the Cubs, while the Pirates face the Yankees. Root for the chaos tomorrow that you want to see.
There were only four total strikeouts in this game. Cincinnati’s pitchers walked five batters and had just one strikeout.
Rhett Lowder’s rookie season comes to an end with a 1.17 ERA in six starts. He didn’t give up a home run in his 30.2 innings, but he had 14 walks and just 22 strikeouts during that time, too.
The 85th loss of the year means that in eight of the last 10 full seasons the Reds have reached at least 85 losses.
Up Next for the Cincinnati Reds
Cincinnati Reds vs. Chicago Cubs
Sunday September 29th, 3:20pm ET
Hunter Greene (9-5, 2.83 ERA) vs TBA
