Game One Hundred Sixty – Cubs 7, Reds 3
WP – Jake Buchanan (1-0) LP – Josh Smith (3-3) Save – None
Ben Zobrist hit two home runs, a solo shot in the fifth for the Cubs first hit and a two-run blast in the eighth. Anthony Rizzo singled in a pair of runs as the entire NL All-Star infield drove in at least one run Friday. Addison Russell doubled in Zobrist in the seventh. Kris Bryant plated a run in the sixth. And the Cubs topped the Reds on Friday night.
Jake Buchanan kept the Reds off the board for the first five innings Friday night while his teammates figured out Josh Smith before taking it to the Reds bullpen.
The Cubs were no-hit for the first four innings. Josh Smith had a perfect game through four that Ben Zobrist (3-for-4 with a double, two home runs, three runs scored and three RBI) broke-up with a solo homer leading off the fifth. The Cubs made it 2-0 in the sixth.
After loading the bases against Smith, Bryan Price went to his pen for lefty Tony Cingrani. Kris Bryant (1-for-4 with a run scored and a RBI) grounded out to short and drove in Miguel Montero (1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored) from third base.
Ben Zobrist started the seventh with a double down the third baseline. Addison Russell (1-for-3 with a double, a walk and a RBI) also doubled down the third baseline. Zobrist scored as Russell collected his 95th RBI of the season.
The Cubs put the game away in the eighth on a pair of hits, a single by Anthony Rizzo (1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI) and another home run by Ben Zobrist.
Dexter Fowler (0-for-2 with two walks and a run scored) worked a one-out walk against Reds reliever Abel De Los Santos. Bryant singled to left. A passed ball allowed Fowler and Bryant to move up 90 feet. With the infield in, Rizzo pulled a 3-2 pitch into right. Fowler and Bryant scored, 5-1 Cubs. Rizzo was on first base when Ben Zobrist went yard for the second time on the night.
Zobrist had his second multi-homer game of the season, seventh of his career. Friday was Zobrist’s first three extra basehit game of the season.
The Cubs scored seven runs on eight hits with four walks and finished the game 2-for-7 with RISP while leaving three men on base.
Jake Buchanan made a spot start Friday night filling in for the sidelined Jason Hammel. Buchanan turned in five scoreless innings in his first start with the Cubs. Buchanan had good command, found a rhythm and worked well with Miguel Montero.
Buchanan surrendered just two hits, both singles, and issued a walk. Buchanan did not allow two runners to reach in the same inning.
Jake Buchanan struck out three and faced two over the minimum in five innings. Buchanan made 66 pitches, 43 for strikes. Buchanan turned the game over to the bullpen after five innings and the Cubs leading 2-0.
Trevor Cahill had little to no command Friday night. Cahill battled his mechanics and Montero had to coach him through the inning. Cahill served up a one-out double to Jose Peraza in the sixth. A wild pitch allowed Peraza to scoot to third. Hernan Iribarren rolled 3-2 pitch to Zobrist at second. Peraza scored and made it a 2-1 game at the time. Cahill got out of the inning without any further damage.
Joe Smith was sharp in the eighth. Smith threw strikes (11 pitches, 11 strikes) and allowed just one hit, a two-out single to center by Ivan DeJesus Jr.
Justin Grimm zipped through the Reds in the eighth inning. Grimm struck out two of the three batters he faced. Grimm made only 12 pitches, seven for strikes.
Carl Edwards Jr. ran into problems in the ninth and gave up two runs. Edwards Jr. struck out Hernan Iribarren swinging on a ball in the dirt. Montero was not able to keep the ball in front of him. Iribarren reached on a wild pitch and was along for the ride when Joey Votto cranked a two-run homer to center. Edwards Jr. refocused and retired the next three batters to end the game.
With Friday’s win, the Cubs improved to 102-57 on the season.
Jon Lester takes the ball Saturday afternoon (3:10pm CDT) and will face righty Tim Adleman in the next to the last game of the regular season.