Game Ninety-Three – Cubs 1, Reds 9
WP – Mike Leake (8-5) LP – Kyle Hendricks (4-5) Save – None
Before Kyle Hendricks could record an out Wednesday afternoon, the Reds scored four runs and never looked back. The Cubs issues at the plate continued as the Reds took batting practice and pummeled Joe Maddon’s team in game one of the day-night doubleheader.
Kyle Hendricks was unable to recover from two infield singles and an error at shortstop by Addison Russell to the first two batters he faced. After walking Joey Votto to load the bases, Todd Frazier blooped a double to right and Eugenio Suarez doubled to left. The Reds took a 4-0 lead before Hendricks recorded an out. Hendricks settled down after the first inning, but the hole was too big for the Cubs.
Kyle Hendricks served up a solo home run to Joey Votto in the fifth and turned the game over to the bullpen in the seventh.
Kyle Hendricks surrendered five runs, all earned, on seven hits with two walks and a career-high nine strikeouts. Hendricks made 99 pitches, 65 for strikes, in six innings.
Yoervis Medina was recalled from Triple-A Iowa prior to Wednesday’s game and it is really hard to see how he remains with the big league team beyond one day. Medina allowed a bad game to get out of hand. Medina gave up four runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout in the seventh inning … and all of the damage was done after two outs. Medina threw 42 pitches, 23 for strikes.
Neil Ramirez was hit rather hard in the eighth but did not allow the Reds to tack on.
Cubs’ pitching allowed nine runs on 13 hits and four walks with 11 strikeouts.
While the Reds spent the afternoon hitting the ball around the yard, the Cubs managed one run on five hits with two walks. The Cubs did not put a runner on base from after the third inning until the ninth inning.
Kyle Schwarber (2-for-3 with a walk, a stolen base and a RBI) drove in the Cubs only run, a single in the third inning that plated Addison Russell (1-for-3 with a double a run scored). Chris Coghlan (2-for-4) collected the other two hits.
Joe Maddon was ejected from the game in the fourth inning for defending Anthony Rizzo on a bad balk call by first base umpire Adam Hamari. Maddon has been thrown out of three games this season. Wednesday was his first ejection since May 6.
With Wednesday’s loss in game one, the Cubs slipped to 50-43 on the season.
The Cubs managed a Kyle Schwarber single with one out in the first, but that was all. After Schwarber stole second with Soler at the plate, Jorge Soler struck out swinging (1-2 pitch) to end the inning. Mike Leake threw 12 pitches in the first inning, eight for strikes.
The Reds jumped on Hendricks in the first inning and found holes with rather weak contact. Brandon Phillips reached on an infield single to the hole at short. Addison Russell airmailed his throw to the first, the ball ended up in the stands and Phillips went to second. Jason Bourgeois also reached on an infield single to the hole at short. And the Reds had two on with no outs. Hendricks walked Joey Votto to load the bases.
Todd Frazier blooped a 1-1 pitch into right. The ball just landed fair, Phillips and Bourgeois scored … 2-0 Reds. With runners on second and third and no outs, Eugenio Suarez doubled to left. Votto and Frazier scored, 4-0 Reds. Skip Schumaker lined out to left. Hendricks struck out Billy Hamilton swinging. Tucker Barnhart worked a walk. Hendricks finally got out of the inning after Mike Leake struck out swinging on a 1-2 pitch … 34 pitches, 22 for strikes, in Hendricks in the first inning.
After one inning, the Reds had a commanding 4-0 lead.
Addison Russell doubled to right center on a 3-2 pitch with one down in the third inning. Chris Coghlan reached on an infield single. With Russell at third, Kyle Schwarber singled to right center (1-1 pitch). Russell scored, 4-1 Reds. Anthony Rizzo grounded into a 6-3 double play to end the inning.
Kyle Hendricks pitched a 1-2-3 third inning. Hendricks made 58 pitches in the first three innings, 39 for strikes.
The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
The rookie ump show was in full effect Wednesday afternoon. Hendricks was called for a balk by first base umpire Adam Hamari. Anthony Rizzo argued the call. And Rizzo was correct. In an effort to keep Rizzo from being thrown out, Maddon went out to talk to Hamari and was ejected.
After the Cubs went down in order in the fifth, Hendricks retired Bourgeois on a liner to left to start the fifth. Joey Votto put the game away on Hendricks’ next pitch. Votto got just enough of the first offering from Hendricks to put the ball into the stands in right … 5-1 Reds. Frazier flied out to center and Hendricks caught Suarez looking to end the inning.
It was 5-1 Reds after five innings.
By the seventh inning it was obvious the Cubs wanted the game to be over as quickly as possible. Leake retired the side in order in the seventh.
Yoervis Medina replaced Hendricks for the seventh and a bad game got even worse. Phillips flied out to left and Bourgeois flied out to right. Medina gave up a single to Votto (3-2 pitch). Todd Frazier singled to right (0-2 pitch). Votto went to third. Medina walked Suarez to load the bases.
Yoervis Medina punched his ticket right back to Iowa at this point. Medina walked Schumaker and forced in Votto, 6-1 Reds. Medina surrendered a single to Billy Hamilton on a 3-2 pitch. Frazier and Suarez scored, 8-1 Reds. Tucker Barnhart singled to center. Skip Schumaker scored, 9-1 Reds. Medina struck out Mike Leake swinging to end the inning.
The Reds led 9-1 after seven innings.
And that was the final score in game one on Wednesday afternoon.
Dallas Beeler faces Tony Cingrani in game two of the day-night twin bill on Wednesday afternoon (5:10 pm CDT).