And when the Reds won the first of the series in Wrigley Field, a sweep was expected.
Didn’t happen. That’s baseball.
It was the Cubs displaying the pitching prowess Wednesday afternoon during a 6-1 victory over the Reds.
The Reds can pretty much wave good-bye to a National League Central championship. With 47 games remaining, the Reds trail the Milwaukee Brewers by 10 1/2 games.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Their focus is on a wild card, but that too keeps diminishing with each defeat.
And this time, on Wednesday, Cubs manager Craig Counsell got away with something he didn’t get away with Tuesday.
On that night he removed starter Shota Imanaga with one out in the seventh inning in a 1-1 game during which Imanaga gave up one run, three hits, walked nobody and struck out seven.
His replacement, Andrew Kittredge put five straight runners on base, including a three-run home run by Spencer Steer.
And the Reds won, 5-2.
This time, 23-year-old rookie Cade Horton had the Reds spellbound for 5 2/3 innings — no runs, two hits, no walks, six strikeouts.
And it was his fourth straight game that he hasn’t give up a run, 23 1/3 straight scoreless innings.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
But with one out and on one in the sixth and only 67 pitches, 56 for strikes, Counsell took the baseball away from him.
And what did he do in the seventh? He brought in Kittredge, the guy who gave up four runs, four hits and a walk in one-third of an inning.
Talk about sweet, sweet, sweet revenge. Kittredge, booed lustily by Cubs fans Tuesday, pitched what is called an immaculate inning — nine pitches, nine strikes, three strikeouts.
In order, on three pitches to each batter, he struck out Austin Hayes, Gavin Lux and Tyler Stephenson, all swinging. And Kittredge received a standing ovation on his trudge to the dugout.
It was the long ball that did the Reds in, despite a strong wind blowing in.
Abbott gave up two and relief pitcher Yosver Zulueta gave up one.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Abbott was uncharacteristically off on his command and constantly fell behind hitter. He escaped a two-on, one-out dilemma in the first and a one-out one-on problem in the second.
But the Cubs broke through in the third on a leadoff double by Nico Hoerner, a single by Justin Turner and a sacrifice fly by Seiya Suzuki.
It was still 1-0 after sixth, then came the home runs. Suzuki led the sixth with 372-foot drive into the left field seats off Abbott’s 1-and-2 81 miles an hour sweeper.
Abbott started the seventh and got the first out, then Dansby Swanson homered. When Turner doubled with two outs, Abbott’s day was done.
Luis Mey came in and gave up a walk and a run-scoring single, the run charged to Abbott’s account. And the Cubs made it 6-0 in the eighth with a third home run, this one by perennial pain in the posterior to the Reds, Ian Happy off just called-up Yosver Zulueta.
Reds manager Tito Francona acknowledged that Abbott’s control and command were AWOL.
“I didn’t think he had his best command, especially early,” he told reporters after the game. “Saying that, you look up and it’s 6 2/3s and he had given up only three. He just competes. He changes speeds, he throws breaking balls to get back in the counts. It’s hard for guys to put a big streak against him.”
But when the offense is dormant, it doesn’t matter.
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
The Reds avoided a shutout in the top of the ninth by scoring a run on singles by TJ Friedl, Elly De La Cruz and a ground ball by Austin Hayes.
Francona got a tad testy during his post-game media meeting when a writer asked him if there was anything to take away from today’s game after taking two of three from Cubs and overcoming some adversity against Atlanta, losing two of three, including the rain-interrupted game in Bristol, Tenn.
“I don’t ever do that,” he said, raising his voice. “I don’t know why you ask that. I don’t ever do that. If I thought it was productive I would do it. It’s just not a productive way to do things.”
NEXT GAME
Who: Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
When: 6:40 p.m.
TV: FanDuel Sports
Radio: 1410-AM, 700-AM
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