Game One Hundred Sixty-Two: Cubs (102-58) vs. Reds (68-93)
- Game Time – 2:10pm CDT
- Coverage – TV: WGN-TV – Radio: WSCR 670 The Score, Cubs Radio Network, XM Radio Channels 189, 844
- Location – Great American Ball Park, Cincinnati
Kyle Hendricks, RHP (16-8, 1.99/0.96/3.21) vs. Robert Stephenson, RHP (2-3, 6.27/1.54/6.69)
Weather permitting … This is it. The journey that began on April 4 in Anaheim with a 9-0 win over the Angels takes a short break after today. For too many years Game 162 meant an end to the Cubs season, now it’s the prelude to brief intermission before what could be an extra month of the baseball season.
Kyle Hendricks takes the hill today and is scheduled to throw five innings. Hendricks looks to keep the Reds off the board and his ERA below 2.00 while his teammates get on-track against right-hander Robert Stephenson.
The Cubs are 14-4 versus the Reds this season. A win today would not only mean Meat Loaf for the flight back to Chicago, it would wrap-up a seven-game road trip with a 4-2-1 record.
Kyle Hendricks takes the mound at Great American Ball Park today where he made his Major League debut on July 10, 2014 with an opportunity to win an ERA title and improve his chances of winning the NL Cy Young Award.
Every game throughout Major League Baseball will begin just after 2:00pm CDT. There are two games to keep an eye on the National League that could have an impact on the Cubs. The Giants face the Dodgers and if they win, or the Cardinals lose, it will be the Giants and Mets in the NL Wild Card. If the Giants lose and the Cardinals beat the Pirates, the Giants will fly to St. Louis for Game 163 on Monday.
For the Cubs, Game 162 is about finishing the season with a fully healthy team and a win over the Reds.
Today all starts with Kyle Hendricks …
Kyle Hendricks shut out the Pirates for six innings in his last start. Hendricks allowed seven hits with no walks and five strikeouts. And the Cubs beat the Bucs 12-2. Hendricks has pitched shutout ball in two of his last five starts.
Hendricks is 3-1 in four starts dating back to Sept. 1. Hendricks has allowed four runs on 19 hits with four walks and 27 strikeouts in 27 innings (1.38 ERA, 0.88 WHIP). Since the break, Hendricks is 9-1 in 13 starts with a 1.36 ERA and 0.89 WHIP.
Outside of Wrigley this season, Kyle Hendricks is 7-6 in 15 starts with a 2.71 ERA and 1.08 WHIP.
Today is Hendricks third start of the season against the Reds. Hendricks is 2-0 in the first two with a 1.50 ERA and 1.25 WHIP (three runs, two earned, 12 hits, three walks, seven strikeouts, 12 innings). Today is Hendricks second appearance at Great American. Hendricks and the Cubs won the game 9-2 back on June 29 after he allowed two runs on eight hits with two walks and five strikeouts in 6 2/3 innings.
Reds Career Numbers against Kyle Hendricks
- Tucker Barnhart: 4-for-16 with one double and two walks
- Joey Votto: 6-for-8 with two home runs and six walks
- Eugenio Suarez: 2-for-13 with one double
- Brandon Phillips: 3-for-11
- Adam Duvall: 3-for-5 with one home run
- Tyler Holt: 0-for-5
- Ivan DeJesus: 1-for-3
- Jose Peraza: 1-for-3
The Cubs get another look at the Reds’ impressive rookie right-hander Robert Stephenson today. Stephenson has struggled in each of his last four starts, and one of those came against the Cubs. Stephenson lost to the Cardinals in St. Louis after giving up five runs, all earned, on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts in four innings.
Stephenson was not able to complete four innings against the Cubs. Stephenson allowed four runs, all earned, on five hits with a walk and four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings (9.82 ERA, 2.73 WHIP).
Robert Stephenson is 0-3 in his last five starts with an 8.14 ERA and 1.81 WHIP. In 21 innings, he’s allowed 19 runs on 28 hits with 10 walks and 23 strikeouts. Stephenson has served up seven longballs in those five games.
At Great American, Stephenson is 2-1 in four starts this season with a 4.03 ERA and 1.25 WHIP.
Cubs Numbers against Robert Stephenson
- Kris Bryant: 0-for-3
- Dexter Fowler: 1-for-2 with one home run
- Anthony Rizzo: 1-for-3
- Ben Zobrist: 2-for-2 with one walk
- Javier Baez: 2-for-2
- Chris Coghlan: 1-for-1 with one walk
- Jason Heyward: 0-for-2
- Miguel Montero: 1-for-2
Let’s Talk Cubs Baseball …