Reds Rookies Punish Padres

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Juan Brito hit his first major league home run and fellow rookie, Hector Rodriguez belted his fifth both in the fourth inning to help the Reds to a 7-3 win over the San Diego Padres.

"We got offense, some of it from the bottom of the order," Terry Francona said. "I thought we played a good game. I thought we played a good all around game."

The Reds won their second series in a row against contenders for the playoffs. The Padres started the game with a half game lead over the Arizona Diamondbacks for the third wild card spot.

Rodriguez has five home runs in his last 10 games. 

"I think we're starting to see him," Francona said. "When he first got here. He tried to do too much. It happens a lot. He's ultra aggressive and has always been like that his whole career. When he swings at strikes you see what he can do. His hands are extraordinary."

Brandon Williamson made his seventh start of the season and first since April 30, returning from shoulder fatigue.m

It didn't start as well as he wished. 

Fernando Tatis Jr. opened with a single to center. Williamson got the next two outs but former Red, Ty France hit his 20th home run to put the Padres up. The ball hit the top of the wall but bounced over the wall.

Austin Hays, another former Red, doubled off Sal Stewart's glove at first base and Tatis Jr. drove him in with a ground single to center.

JJ Bleday saved the Reds from more damage making a running catch of Jackson Merrill's attempt at an extra base hit.

The Reds took control in the bottom of the second against Casey Mize. 

Tyler Stephenson walked and Dane Myers followed with a single. Juan Brito reached the right field seats with his first major league home run to tie the game. Brito is not known for power but he did hit 21 in a full season at Triple A Columbus in the Cleveland Guardians organization in 2024. Hector Rodriguez hit his fifth home run and first at Great American Ball Park to put the Reds on top.

"It was something that you're looking for," Brito said through interpreter Tomas Vera. "When it happens you have fun."

Brito had to recover from some injuries in 2025. He hit 11 this season between Columbus and Louisville.

"I had a hand injury last year," Brito said. "It took me away for a couple months. When I was ready to come back, I had the hamstring injuries. That took a lot from me."

Part of the good all around game was the infield play. Brito and McLain turned a double play and followed it up with a nice recovery when the ball bounced off Williamson. Edwin Arroyo made a tough play on France look easy in the eighth.

"Brito came as advertised," Francona said. "He knows how to play and plays the way he's supposed to. I thought Arroyo made a nice play. He made a long throw that had plenty of carry on it."

Williamson rallied and pitched into the sixth inning. He retired eight straight until he walked France to start the inning. Xander Bogaerts ran out an infield hit but Williamson struck out Ethan Salas, making his first big league appearance as the Padres starting catcher. He is just 20 years old. 

"Willie gave up that home run in the first and it really wasn't hit that, you know. It was 94 MPH off the bat. After that he kind of kept them off. He had a good cutter, a change up. He stayed out there for 90 something pitches," Francona said.

Pierce Johnson relieved Williamson and got the final two outs.

"I felt good pretty much from the jump," Williamson said. "Any time you can pitch in the majors it's a big deal. I think there may be a little more sense of urgency but I know what I can do. My arm feels good. We're playing playoff teams but if you're a big leaguer, you have to believe you can face anyone who is in the box, no matter what uniform they wear."

Williamson pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks. He struck out five.

He picked up the win on his daughter's birthday. 

"I'd like to shout out some guys from Arizona. Erick Gonzalez helped get me here for sure. I didn't do it on my own. My wife and kids were with me," Williamson said.

Matt McLain drove in an insurance run with a bases loaded sacrifice fly. Bleday started the inning with a bunt single. Dane Myers singled up the middle off David Morgan. Brito walked to load the bases. 

Tejay Antone walked Jake Cronenworth to start the seventh but he struck out Tatis Jr. on a 3-2 pitch. Stephenson completed the double play catching Cronenworth stealing.

Elly De La Cruz collected his second single of the game off Sycamore High School grad, Kyle Hart. The Padres turned to Jhony Brito. Bleday set an new career high with his 22nd home run 416 ft. into the right field stands to double the Reds' lead.

Bleday, who hit for the cycle on August 22, is a triple short of repeating the feat. 

Tony Santillan pitched a scoreless eighth.

Emilio Pagan pitched a perfect 14-pitch inning in a non-save situation.

Reds Late Rally Evens Series with San Diego

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Jose Trevino spoiled the San Diego Padres strategy with a bases loaded single and new comer Juan Brito delivered what proved to be the winning run with a sacrifice fly to take down the San Diego Padres, 4-3 to tie the series.

San Diego manager and University of Dayton graduate intentionally walked Dane Myers against left handed pitcher Adrian Morejon with runners at second and third with one out playing for an inning ending double play but Trevino ruined the move and is 3-for-3 with the bases loaded this season.

"I don't know about career wise because I haven't been around him that much," Terry Francona said. "I just know that he can get to velocity. Their guy was throwing 98, 99. I also know that he can hit into a double play but we had Stevo (Tyler Stephenson) behind him if he didn't drive him in. He had a really good at bat and so did Brito."

Trevino has been comfortable in general.

"That Tito trust me in that situation and my teammates too," Trevino said. "You look in the dugout and you see guys, let's go, let's go. Right now in September it's tough."

"It was a really good at bat. He kind of came as advertised," Francona continued. "I saw him when he was a kid but PK (Louisville manager, Pat Kelly) talked about how he just plays the game. He does things the right way and kind of did that tonight."

The Padres spent very little time scoring against Nick Lodolo in the first inning.

Samad Taylor tripled into the left center field gap. Manny Machado, fresh off a four-hit night brought him home with a deep fly to right field. 

In the third inning, Jace Bowen led off with a triple. Fernando Tatis Jr. ground out to Brito at second with a drawn in infield. Lodolo hit Taylor with a pitch and Manny Machado walked to load the bases. Ty France hit into a double play.

"Lodolo had to fight through command early on," Francona said. "He held his stuff and his command got better. He gave us six and that was good."

Lodolo missed time with blisters on his left index finger but has changed his grip.

"I stuck with it and got out of that third there. I got through six and I've been searching for that," Lodolo said. "I am getting more comfortable with the new grip. We didn't throw it a ton tonight. I'm definitely getting more comfortable with it."

"He's put a ton of work since he came back from the IL," Trevino said. "Taking a mound visit. We're not out of the woods, yet but we could get Ty France on a ground ball. It was a clutch double play. We had Machado a good hitter, who is hot right now. Being able to pitch around him and understand that, is good."

The Reds got that right back against Randy Vasquez in the bottom half.

Hector Rodriguez started with a double. With two outs, JJ Bleday singled him home.

Fernando Tatis Jr. hit a line drive home run that had enough height to clear the right field wall for his 18th home run of the season in the fifth inning. 

Once again the Reds got the run back.

TJ Friedl walked with one out but was caught stealing second. The shame about it was Edwin Arroyo hit a ground rule double and was on second with two outs. Hector Rodriguez singled to tie the score. The Reds rookie has 14 hits in his last 38 at bats over his last 10 games at that point, a .368 average with eight RBI.

Lodolo pitched six innings, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks and two hit batters. He struck out five.

Luis Mey took over in the seventh and pitched around a walk and catcher's interference to post a scoreless inning. 

Brock Burke made his 69th appearance in the top of the eighth. 

Jackson Merrill hit a two out double. The Reds walked Xander Bogaerts intentionally. Burke struck out pinch hitter, Luis Campusano to send a tie game to the bottom of the eighth.

Adrian Morejon started the bottom of the eighth for San Diego.

Elly De La Cruz walked to lead off the inning. Sal Stewart's second hit of the game sent De La Cruz to third. Bleday bounced out to second as De La Cruz held. Stewart went to second. Matt McLain was walked intentionally to pitch to Jose Trevino, who singled to score one run. Juan Brito scored Stewart with a sacrifice fly to left. 

David Morgan replaced Morejon. Dane Myers flied out to right.

Emilio Pagan entered to try to nail down a save.

He got two quick outs on fly balls but Tatis Jr. hit his second home run of the game and 19th of the season. Pagan struck out Taylor to earn his 20th save.

Welcome My Fellow American Eugenio Suarez

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Eugenio Suarez left the team and headed to Miami, Florida to be sworn in as a United States citizen.

The Reds are fully supporting his absence for the purpose.

Was born July 18, 1991 in Puerto Ordaz, Venezuela.

He has been in the US on visa's since 2011 after he was signed by the Detroit Tigers in 2009 and spent two seasons, playing in the Venezuela Summer League.

The Reds traded Alfredo Simon to the Tigers for Suarez in December after he played 85 games in Detroit in 2014.

Suarez played seven season for the Reds and was traded to the Seattle Mariners before the 2022 season. The Reds resigned him to a free agent contract during the winter.

Suarez is in his eighth season with the Reds and considers Cincinnati as his baseball home. He resides in Miami, Florida.

He hit his 209th home run in a Cincinnati uniform on Saturday (083026) to put him 10th on the Reds list for career home runs. His next will tie him with Ken Griffey Jr. for ninth on the list.

Ever proud on his native country, he played for the Venezuelan World Baseball Classic in 2023 and the classic this year. He had some key hits as Venezuela won the Classic in March.

He hit 49 home runs in 2019 that surpassed Miguel Cabrera for the most home runs by a Venezuelan player in Major League Baseball. It was important for him as Cabrera was his mother's favorite player.

When Nicolas Maduro took over the presidency in 2019 with a voter absentee rate of 68% that protests challenged the unfavorable person who took control of the country.

Suarez played a protest song as his walkup music was Mis Ilusiones.

Hear it here:

https://youtu.be/a6aqKkoCMrA?si=Gp9yz2LOkc2VsNpy

Suarez has been studying for the naturalization test for weeks and has been in the process for a couple years. 

The Reds fully support the popular player and team leader. 

"It is very, very cool that he is doing this," Terry Francona said. "The timing of it, if people are wondering, it is not his timing. If you can imagine when you're dealing with the government, you go when they tell you. I saw him on this last trip. He was practicing his questions. He knew them a lot better than I did. We could put him on the restricted list and I agree with Nick (Krall) and Brad (Meador) it would not be a good look."

 

Reds Activate Brandon Williamson And Recall Juan Brito

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds activated Brandon Williamson from the 60-day injured list.

The left handed starting pitcher was shut down after six starts on April 30 with shoulder fatigue. He had missed 15 months from "Tommy John" surgery in 2024 before having an good spring training and making the starting rotation.

Williamson will start on Wednesday and slot in to piggy back with Chase Burns the rest of the season.

The Reds recalled second baseman Juan Brito from Triple A Louisville. Brito came to the Reds from the Cleveland Guardians for Nathaniel Lowe.

Brito spent a little time with Terry Francona in 2022, when the Guardians traded Nolan Jones to the Colorado Rockies. His time with the Guardians was limited to minor league spring training camp.

He broke in with Cleveland earlier this year and appeared in 14 games at second base. He had nine hits in 51 at bats but four of them were doubles for a .176 average. He drove in three runs and walked four times. In the field he was charged with four errors.

"Juan's a kid. I know him a little bit," Terry Francona said. "I think it was my last year in Cleveland. He's a switch hitter. His main position is probably second but he can play third. It is two fold. Elly (De La Cruz) is dhing probably the next couple days. Also with Geno (Eugenio Suarez) becoming a citizen which we fully support. We just didn't want to be caught short. He is going to play tonight."

Brito is in the starting lineup at second base. Edwin Arroyo will start at third base. They will have three switch hitters in the lineup.

"I was in my room when my manager at Triple A (Pat Kelly) told me, Brito said through Reds' intern, Randy Escabi. "I asked him if he was sure. It is something that I've been working for. I am happy to be here."

He was at Louisville for just a couple of weeks, so the Triple A staff had a short time to evaluate him.

"I worked on my hitting and defense and I felt good," Brito said. "The coaches, the players treated me like I was a part of the organization. Terry Francona gave me a lot of motivation in Cleveland. It is something that can help players going forward. He gave me a lot of good advice."

It is a new challenge for Brito.

"I want to just have fun, work hard. It is important to give it everything I've got."

Padres String Hits Together To Torture Brady Singer

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The San Diego Padres shutout the Reds for the 15th time this season and the fifth time in August in a 5-0 win.

The Reds had chances against the Padres starter Michael King in their first three at bats with characteristically nothing to show for it.

Hector Rodriguez singled to open the bottom of the first. Elly De La Cruz was the first victim of Jackson Merrill's larceny. Sal Stewart doubled with Rodriguez stopping at third. JJ Bleday hit a ball hard but Ty France gloved it on a Sunday hop and stepped on the bag as Rodriguez held. Tyler Stephenson struck out swinging. 

 In the second inning, Eugenio Suarez was hit by a pitch to open the frame. Matt McLain singled but TJ Friedl forced McLain at second. Edwin Arroyo and Rodriguez struck out with a man on third and one out. 

The Reds came into the game dead last in Major League Baseball with a .217 batting average with runners in scoring position. They were already 0-for-4 in three innings.

The Reds put two on with two outs after Merrill scaled the fence to rob Stewart of his 32nd home run. Suarez grounded out. 

Brady Singer gave up hits in the first two innings but they didn't move. 

The Padres ambushed Singer in the fourth. Six straight hits by Manny Machado, Ty France, Merrill, Xander Bogaerts, Dustin Harris and Luis Campusano had hits with Bogaerts stinging a two-run double.

"I just tried to keep it on the plate. I didn't want to walk anyone to make things work. I was hoping they would hit one to a fielder to get a double play but they put good swings on them," Singer said.

The Padres put two on with one out in the fifth on Machado's third hit of the game and France's second to put runners on first and third. 

"I think he went through that inning and he was probably catching too much of the plate," Terry Francona said. "They got where they were going first to third. We had holes open. They used the whole field. They went first to third and he couldn't make that one pitch to get out of it."

Julian Garcia relieved Singer who pitched 4 1/3 giving up 10 hits and four runs. He didn't walk anyone and struck out five.

Garcia struck out Merrill and Bogaerts to strand both inherited base runners.

Homeplate umpire Manny Gonzalez was removed from the game with heat exhaustion. The game was finished with three umpires.

Fernando Tatis Jr. doubled off Pierce Johnson in the seventh. France drove him in with his third single of the game. 

Lefthander Kyle Hart a Cincinnati native and Sycamore High School grad relieved King in the seventh inning.

Tony Santillan came in from the bullpen to start the eighth.

Elly De La Cruz OK Reds To Bring Back Brandon Williamson Six Starters For Five Turns

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Elly De La Cruz is going to play with a strained quad. The Reds had him examined this morning. According to Terry Francona, the medical staff thinks it is mild enough that he can play through it.

"Elly is a throwback. He truly wants to play every inning of every game," Francona said. "We told him he had to promise to tell us if it got any worse. He has played through much worse. I think he'll be ok."

The Reds are also putting a governor on Chase Burns, who is scheduled to start on Saturday (090526). 

Brandon Williamson will be activated from the 60-day injured list once the rosters expand. Williamson had a really good spring after surgery and not pitching for 15 months but on April 30th after making six starts with left shoulder fatigue. He was 2-3 with a 6.11 ERA when he went down.

Coming out of spring training the Reds had Burns who had never pitched more than 109 innings. Rhett Lowder missed all of 2025. Hunter Greene only logged 107 innings and had a hint of bone chips in his elbow.

Terry Francona and the staff they would take six starting pitchers and monitor every one but Andrew Abbott and work horse Brady Singer.

"That was exactly our plan but it didn't work," Francona said. "We have six starters in a five-man rotation."

Chase Burns Has 15 Wins 15 Is The New 20?

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The last time a Reds' rookie won 20 games, Tom Browning did it in 1985. The last time a Reds pitcher won 20 games, Johnny Cueto did it in 2014. Only one other pitcher won at least 20 games was Danny Jackson in 1988 when he won 23 games.

Chase Burns has 15 wins in 26 starts.

For perspective, Browning made 38 starts in 1985 and pitched 261 1/3 innings. Jackson made 35 starts and pitched 260 2/3 innings. Cueto made 34 starts and pitched 243 2/3 innings.

There has not been a 20-game winner in baseball since Spencer Strider did it in 2023. Since 2016 there were five seasons, not counting 2020 that have gone without a 20-game winner.

Some reasons, the modern theory of five starter as opposed to four in the a by gone era. Starting pitchers most often work six innings or fewer and rely on the bullpen when they leave with a lead.

For Burns to have 18 decision (15-3) in 26 starts is an above average number of decisions. 

The breakdown for Burns. In 26 starts he has pitched at least five innings in 25 of them. Just recently in his August 24th start in San Francisco he pitched a season low 3 2/3 innings. He has pitched into the sixth inning in six starts including Sunday night's (083026) 5 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs. He pitched six innings 10 times. He pitched a season-high seven innings twice.

Burns has just eight no decisions. He has not been a victim of a blown save all year. He has allowed a season high five runs four times that resulted in the three losses and one no decision.

In one outing he allowed three runs over five innings, so it didn't count as a quality start. In every other start he has allowed two or fewer runs.

Hector Rodriguez And Tyler Stephenson Cancel Pete Crow-Armstrong

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Pete Crow-Armstrong did it again.

As he did on Saturday, he greeted Reds starting pitcher, Chase Burns this time, with a long home run to lead off the bottom of the first inning.

This time instead of leading to a lopsidedly win, Hector Rodriguez hit a three-run home run and Tyler Stephenson cracked a two-run home run to allow the Reds to post a 7-5 win over the Chicago Cubs and take the series two games to one. 

 Burns allowed a run in the second inning too. Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner and Michael Conforto singled to produce the run. 

Shota Imanaga held the Reds quiet for three innings but he is a bad fit from the Cubs perspective against the Reds.

Most of the Reds offense comes from home runs. They are next to last in baseball with a team average of .228, rank 27th with an on-base-percentage of .307 and are dead last with a .218 average with runners in scoring position. However, they are fourth in baseball with 183 home runs.

Imanaga was tied for fourth in baseball with 31 home runs allowed and now is tied with Jeffrey Springs of the Athletics with 33 after the game.

That is where rookie Hector Rodriguez came in. Rodriguez hit 27 home runs in the International League with the Louisville Bats. He was called up by the Reds on August 3 and made his first appearance on August 4.

He struggled out of the gate. He doubled for his first hit on August 7. He was 1-for-9 after three games. After 11 days his average slipped to .083. Since then, Rodriguez is hitting .324. He had three home runs in the first eight games of the road trip, when he faced Imanaga with Eugenio Suarez and Matt McLain on base with two outs in the fourth. The rookie hit an 0-1 pitch into the right field bleachers for his fourth major league home run and 31st overall.

Fielding is behind Rodriguez hitting and that led to the Cubs tying the score against Burns with a unearned run.

Happ walked and Hoerner singled to start the bottom of the inning against Burns. Pedro Ramirez flied to Rodriguez in right. Happ tagged and Rodriguez throw got away from McLain and Happ scored.

The Reds offense assaulted Imanaga in the fifth. 

Dane Myers hit his sixth home run to lead off. Elly De La Cruz beat out an infield hit and felt tightness in his left quad. He stayed in but was pulled in the bottom of the seventh. He will be examined today (083126).

Stephenson hit his 14th home run to put the Reds up 6-3. Stephenson has now hit six of them in August.

Sal Stewart hit his 31st home run of the season off Trent Thornton. Stewart is now ninth on the MLB home run list ahead of Shohei Ohtani. He leads baseball with 105 RBI. To give perspective the Reds have 359 RBI as a team. Stewart has 29% of them.

He is seven home runs behind Frank Robinson’s Reds rookie record set in 1956. 

Burns was working on his fourth scoreless inning in the sixth. De La Cruz booted Alex Bergman’s ground ball to start the inning. Happ singled but Burns struck out Howrner and Ramirez flied out. 

Manager Terry Francona brought in Brock Burke to face lefty Conforto. Cubs manager Craig Counsel countered with Tyrone Taylor to pinch hit. Taylor grounded out to De La Cruz to end the inning.

Burns pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowed three runs, two earned on six hits and a walk. He struck out seven and left with an ERA of 2.79 and a 15-3 record. 

He is one off the Major League pace for wins and ninth in ERA slightly ahead of former Red and MLB leading 16-game winner Sonny Gray.

Luis Mey gave up a run in the eighth.

Emilio Pagan got two quick out then gave up Crow-Armstrong’s 38th home run, giving him five against the Reds in the last two games of the series. He is two behind former Cub and Middletown HS grad, Kyle Schwarber.

Pagan finished the job getting Seiya Suzuki to fly out to Myers against the Ivy. This time Myers squeezed it to secure the game.

It was Pagan’s 19th save and third in a row. In his last 16 appearances he has three wins and 12 saves.

Pete Crow-Armstrong Ambushed Scalped Reds

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

Pete Crow-Armstrong ambushed Andrew Abbott with a home run to lead off the game and was just getting started in a 17-5 Chicago Cubs mauling of Reds pitching. 

Seiya Suzuki singled as an encore and Alex Bregman hit his 20th home run and the Reds were behind 3-0 before Abbott recorded an out.

Eugenio Suarez got the Reds close in the second inning with his 20th home run of the season Tyler Stephenson on base off Kevin Gausman. It was Suarez’ 17th home run at Wrigley Field.

Crow-Armstrong hit a two-run home run in his second at bat in his second at bat.

 Elly De La Cruz made a wild throw that allowed a run to score depriving PCA of another RBI.

De La Cruz walked in the third in time to score on Sal Stewart’s 30th home run that increased his Major League Baseball best RBI total to 104.

Abbott’s nightmare continued in the fourth.  Crow-Armstrong single to end Abbott’s day at three-plus innings.

He allowed seven runs on eight hits and two walks. He managed one strikeout.

PCA scored when Suzuki and Bregman singled against Julian Garcia.

The Reds stayed close enough when JJ Bleday scored De La Cruz with a sacrifice fly in the fifth.

Carson Kelly’s ninth home run with two on against Garcia continued the massacre of the worn out Reds’ bullpen.

While the Reds lumber began to slumber against the Cubs’ bullpen. The Cubs’ bats remained hot.

Tony Santillan was the next victim in the seventh. Walks to Pedro Ramirez and Kelly set up Crow-Armstrong for his 37th home run to give him a career-high with three home runs and six RBI. Nico Hoerner capped the inning with a run scoring single.

The Reds turned up the jugular by sending Jose Trevino out to pitch the eighth. It was his fifth emergency effort. He had four by May 8 and this was his first since.

Tyrone Taylor singled. Kelly doubled for his fourth RBI. Crow-Armstrong came up smiling and eye-balling a four home run game. He lined a foul that narrowly missed giving him a career-high fifth hit. But it gave him another swing for the record. It was on his mind when he hit the ball off the handle that plopped in front of Stewart. Suzuki finished off the Reds with his 23rd home run. 

Stewart has already set the Reds rookie record for RBI besting Jim Greengrass in 1953. He has a chance to for the club home run record of 38 by Hall of Famer, Frank Robinson in 1956. 

Reds Outblast Cubs With Four Home Runs

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Dateline: Cincinnati  

The Reds blasted four home runs to out slug the Chicago Cubs 10-8 at Wrigley Field.

It was the second game in a row that the Reds, season long, slumping offense scored 10 runs and they needed every one of them.

Tyler Stephenson capped a five run inning with a three-run home run. Sal Stewart belted his 29th and the duo of Jose Trevino and TJ Friedl one each.

 The Cubs started the scoring against Rhett Lowder in the first inning. Seiya Suzuki and Alex Bregman doubled. 

The Cubs extended the lead on Michael Busch’s 17th home run with a man on in the third.

The Reds got one back in the fourth JJ Bleday singled and took second on a wild pitch. Hector Rodriguez scored him with a single. Stewart touched David Peterson with his 29th home run and 101st RBI to make it a one run game.

Trevino tied the game with a home run against Trent Thornton, his fourth of the season.

Stewart put the Reds ahead in the sixth with an infield single after a walk to Hector Rodriguez and a single by Elly De La Cruz. Tyler Stephenson crushed his 13th home run to give the Reds a 7-3 lead. 

De La Cruz shot a two run single through the hole at short to put the Reds up 9-3, the same deficit the Reds erased in the ninth inning on Wednesday (082626) to beat the San Francisco Giants.

This time the Reds had to sweat out a Cubs’ comeback.

Luis Mey pitched a 1-2-3 seventh and retired the first two batters in the eighth but he walked number nine hitter, Carson Kelly. A wild pitch sent him to second but Pete Crow-Armstrong singled to center with Kelly holding third. Suzuki singled to make it 9-4. Brock Burke entered and walked Busch. He struck out Bregman looking.

Tejay Antone started the bottom of the eighth. Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner singled. Rookie Pedro Ramirez hit his fourth home run to cut the lead to two.

Sam Moll replaced Antone. Pinch hitter Matt Shaw doubled off the glove of defensive replacement, Friedl’s glove. Moll retired Kelly and Crow-Armstrong but Suzuki hit his second double to earn his second RBI. Busch grounded out softly to Eugenio Suarez at third base.

Daniel Palencia took over for the Cubs in the top of the ninth. He quickly struck out Matt McLain and Trevino.

Friedl stepped up with one hit, a bunt single, since July 17 in 34 at bats. He hit a foul ball out of Wrigley just foul, took a ball and launched his fourth home run of the season to pad the lead for closer, Emilio Pagan. 

Friedl has more bunt singles, five, than home runs.

Pagan set the Cubs down on seven pitches for his 18th save.