Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game
There were no standout offensive performers tonight--sure, Ramon Hernandez hit a HR, but he was 1 for 5, and BP was 2 for 5 but both were singles. I guess Yonder Alonso went 2 for 4 with a double, but then he also allowed an inside-the-park HR, so....yeah.
I'm going to give co-JNMHSotG honors to the two relievers who actually recorded outs that didn't score runs: Logan Ondrusek and Aroldis Chapman.
Key Plays
- Did you notice that I mentioned an inside-the-park home run? Yeah, that apparently really happened. Tony Campana hit it, and Starlin Castro also scored on the play to make the score Cubs 2, Reds 0 after one inning.
- In the second, Tyler Colvin hit a more conventional HR. Cubs lead by three.
- Mike Leake then pitched four scoreless innings, though he allowed a ton of baserunners in there. In the meantime, the Reds got a couple back in the fourth. Yonder Alonso hit a two-out single, then Todd Frazier drew a walk to bring Leake to the plate. He blooped a single to score a run, then another scored on a wild pitch. Reds down by 1.
- Jose Arredondo relieved Leake in the seventh, and promptly loaded the bases on a walk, a double, and an IBB. He was pulled and Bill Bray gave up a sac fly to score one. Well, it could have been worse...
- Ondrusek relieved Bray and got a flyout and a groundout to end the threat. But still, Cubs lead 4-2.
- The Reds got one back on that Hernandez HR in the eighth.
- Paul Janish led off the Reds' ninth with a HBP, and after a Votto strikeout and a BP flyout, Jay Bruce singled. Hernandez grounded out to end the threat. Cubs win, 4-3.
Other Note
- The Reds are now 16-26 in one-run games.