Cubs 9 Reds 3
What a disgraceful night of baseball for the Reds. Five different Reds pitchers issued at least one walk and combined for 11 free passes, plus a hit batter.
Reds pitchers threw 190 pitches over eight innings, just 104 for strikes. Nine Cubs batters walked at least once. The Cubs scored eight of their runs with two outs. Oh, by the way: The Reds actually led 2-0 and 3-1. Reds batters managed four hits, three walks and struck out 14 times.
Table for two: Wade Miley started and tossed four innings for the Cubs. Rookie Hayden Wesneski finished off with five innings of scoreless baseball to pick up the win in his ML debut: 5 IN, 2 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 8 K.
Yeeeeeeeer out! Trailing 9-3 with two outs in the 9th inning, David Bell was ejected after arguing a night-long suspect strike zone. It was his third ejection this season and 19th of his career.
Walks will haunt: The Reds staff entered the night having issued the 2nd most walks in MLB (491). The top 8 teams in walks issued this season are all under .500....with an average record of 54-80.
Early action: The Reds reached Wade Miley for two runs in a 30 pitch 1st inning highlighted by a Kyle Farmer two-run triple.
The Cubs answered back with a 1st inning solo shot by.....Ian Happ....off Justin Dunn.
Harvest time: Farmer planted a Miley breaking ball into the bleachers for his 9th HR to give the Reds a 3-1 lead in the 3rd inning.
7 of his 9 homers have come off LHP. Season: .301 BA, .908 OPS vs LHP, .243 BA, .608 OPS vs RHP.
Hey Rook! Spencer Steer doubled and walked.
Barrero-for-four: Jose Barrero struck out three more times in going 0 for 4 to see his batting average dip to .158.
*$#@ Happ-ens: Happ has four homers and 14 RBI in 11 games vs Reds this season and 26 HR/82 RBI in 81 career games.
Per Bally Sports: Career OPS vs Reds 1.099......vs rest of MLB .765.
Trouble averted/then found: Dunn walked two batters on nine pitches in the 4th inning, but escaped damage with a DP. But the Cubs struck for two runs to tie the game in the 5th after a leadoff walk and HR by Seiya Suzuki and Dunn was in fact....done. 4.2 IN, 4 H, 3R, 4 BB, 1 K, 2 HR, 81 pitches/45 strikes.
Icebreaker: 3-3 in the 6th inning, Nick Madrigal lined a two-run single off Fernando Cruz to give the Cubs a 5-3 lead.
Add-on: The Cubs added two more runs vs Art Warren ( 2 H, 3 BB, HBP, 3 R ) in the 7th inning. He threw 33 pitches/15 strikes. ERA 6.50.
Down on the Farm: Hunter Greene made his 2nd rehab start at Louisville: 2 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 6 K, HBP, 2 WP, 48 pitches/28 strikes.
Stephen Piscotty homered for the Bats and Dauri Moreta picked up the save. Dayton SS Noelvi Marte homered (19).