Reds Start Fast Cubs Finish Faster

 

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Dateline: 1,209 Kilometers from the Gulf of Mexico

Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two home runs, including a grand slam off the right field foul pole to propel the Chicago Cubs to an 13-6 series opening win.

The Reds made Cubs starter Matthew Boyd break a sweat in the first inning. The first three scored.

TJ Friedl opened the game with a double down the right field line that could have been a triple but the ball boy picked it up thinking it was foul. Santiago Espinal hit a slow roller down that Boyd fielded off balance down the first base line. Boyd tried to shovel the throw to Michael Busch at first. It went over his head, allowing Friedl to score. Elly De La Cruz singled Espinal to third. Austin Hays singled to score Espinal. Spencer Steer extended his career-high hitting streak to 11 games with a double. Tyler Stephenson walked to load the bases but Jose Trevino hit a pop up to the infield. Connor Joe hit into a contested double play. The Reds argued that Bush was pulled off the bag but the call was upheld. 

Hays opened the third inning with a triple. He scored on Boyd’s wild pitch to put the Reds ahead 4-0.

Hunter Greene made his first start since recovering from a right groin injury, shutting down the Cubs on one hit through the first three innings. With one out in the fourth Seiya Suzuki doubled. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit his 13th home run of the season. Greene walked two batters but finished the frame with no further damage.

Greene pitched four innings, allowing two runs on three hits and two walks. He struck out two.

The Reds replenished their lead against Julian Merryweather. Steer opened the inning with a single. Stephenson doubled high off the left field wall with Steer scoring. Friedl drove in Stephenson with two outs.

Ian Gibaut took the mound in the seventh which started out innocently enough. Dansby Swanson hit a routine fly to right. Nico Hoerner singled. Matt Shaw hit a slow roller up the middle that Matt McLain, who tried to tag Hoerner, who eluded the tag. Ian Happ singled just off the tip of Espinal’s glove in shallow left. Kyle Tucker singled two runs home. Suzuki singled to load the bases. Crow-Armstrong hit his 14th home run of the season off the foul pole to give the division leaders an 8-6 lead.

"I would probably want him to make sure to get one (out)," Francona said. "I'm trying to tell you that if we showed up to win and we didn't. Now we're going to have to show up tomorrow. If that inning affects us tomorrow, we're not, no it won't."

Suzuki hit a three-run home run, his 13th in the eighth inning.

Swanson added on with his 11th home run with a man on base.

Suzuki 46 RBI and Crow-Armstrong 45 are at the top of the MLB leaderboard.