Ian Happ’s 3-run tater proves to be difference in Chicago Cubs win over Cincinnati Reds

University of Cincinnati product and long-time Chicago Cub Ian Happ has made a habit of absolutely obliterating Cincinnati Reds pitching. In his career, for instance, he’s socked 91 career homers, and 173 of those have come in Great American Ball Park.

Sorry, sorry...only 14 of those have come in GABP, with the 14th coming on Monday night. Said dinger also marked the 23rd he’s hit off Cincinnati pitching, an absolutely hilarious fraction when you think about it.

Anyway, Happ’s 3-run tater off the first pitch Luis Cessa threw on Monday proved to be the big hit that put this game out of reach for the Cubs, even though Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game Aristides Aquino tried like hell to will the Reds back with a 2-homer game of his own.

Vlad Gutierrez didn’t exactly help the cause, as he served up an earlier 3-run dinger to Patrick Wisdom that had the Reds playing from behind early on. Still, Aquino’s first dinger (of the 2-run variety) came shortly after a solo blast from Tommy Pham in the Bottom of the 6th to temporarily give this game some life, only for Happ’s 7th inning thunder to put the thing on ice for good.

Reds lost, 7-4, and will try to do the damn thing again tomorrow.

Tony Graphanino (link)

Other Notes

• The Reds got some bad news on Connor Overton’s back prior to the game on Monday, as a stress reaction will mean he’s shut down from throwing entirely for 6-8 weeks before a rehab/buildup will be needed on top of that. He was placed immediately on the 60-day IL as part of a flurry of roster moves by the Reds, ones that included activating Nick Senzel and optioning TJ Friedl back to AAA Louisville.
• Tomorrow’s Cubs/Reds tussle will again start at 6:40 PM ET, jah willing, and will feature a pretty heavy pitching matchup between Marcus Stroman and Tyler Mahle.
• Tunes.