Homer allows no homers, still gets rocked as Reds lose 8-1 to Cubs

The Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game

Adam Duvall struck out twice and clubbed a solo dinger.

It was one of two hits on the night for the Cincinnati Reds against the Chicago Cubs in a 7-1 drubbing.

Trophy is as trophy does.

Honorable Mention is due to: the tarp, which kept the field largely dry for 90 minutes before the game could finally get underway.

Key Plays

• Homer Bailey took the mound after the lengthy delay and promptly allowed five consecutive hits before recording an out. A Ben Zobrist single, Kris Bryant double, Anthony Rizzo single, Willson Contreras single, and Addison Russell single plated a trio of runs before we really had a chance to blink. Somehow, though, Bailey managed to wriggle out of the jam without further damage, but the Reds trailed immediately, 3-0.
• The Cubs notched another run in the Top of the 3rd, but things could’ve been much, much worse as the bases were loaded when Javier Baez stepped to the plate with nobody out. He, though, grounded into a 4-6-3 double play, and though that got a run across, it somewhat mitigated the damage. Reds trailed, 4-0.
• Kyle Schwarber got in on the action with an RBI double off the wall in CF in the Top of the 5th, which scored Russell - who had singled in front of him. Schwarber later scored on a squeeze bunt from Jon Lester, and the Reds trailed, 6-0.
• Duvall finally squared up Jon Lester for the first Reds run of the game, clubbing a solo dinger into the seats in left-center in the Bottom of thee 6th to get Cincinnati actually onto the scoreboard. Reds trailed, 6-1.
• Jackson Stephens was in his umpteenth inning of mop-up work when the Cubs scored again. I’m pretty sure it was the Top of the 8th and that Anthony Rizzo scored on an infield single by Russell that really probably should’ve been an out, but wasn’t. Reds trailed, 7-1.
• Austin Brice walked both Albert Almora and Zobrist to open the Top of the 9th, and after a Bryant fly-out moved Zobrist to 3B, Benny then scored on a Scooter error at 2B on a hot grounder by Rizzo. Reds trailed, 8-1, and that’s how things ended.

Tony Graphanino

Other Notes

• Homer Bailey was hit early, often, repeatedly, left, right, center, and nonstop. His final line: 4.2 IP, 10 H, 6 ER, 5 BB, 3 K on 88 pitches. That included three intentional walks to Ian Happ, as well, who was hitting in the 8-spot in the Cubs lineup on the evening. Yeesh.
• It’s impossible to ignore that Bailey is the most obvious member of the current starting rotation whose spot should be in jeopardy when Anthony DeSclafani is eligible to come off the 60-day DL. Disco, by the way, will make another rehab start for AA Pensacola tomorrow after firing 3 perfect IP in his initial one earlier in the week.
• There’s doubleheader action for the Reds tomorrow, and I can’t yet decide if that’s a good thing or a bad thing. Luis Castillo will start opposite Kyle Hendricks in the first game of the day, which is scheduled for 1:10 PM ET. Sal Romano and Jose Quintana will then share the mound in the nightcap at 7:10 PM ET.
• The doubleheader means that the Reds will be allowed a 26th man on their roster for tomorrow, and I’d wager after the run of short starts that we’ll see a pitcher called up to fill that role. It won’t be Robert Stephenson - he started for AAA Louisville tonight - nor is Cody Reed likely, as he pitched 5 innings on Thursday. Kevin Shackelford, on the other hand, has thrown just 1 IP since Sunday, and might well be the most likely to get the call.
• Tunes.