Dateline: Cincinnati
The Reds beat the Chicago Cubs for the first time in five tries, riding Hunter Greene's bone chip free right arm to a 4-0 win.
The Cubs continue to struggle against Greene. The last time they met on September 18, Greene threw a one-hit shutout with nine strikeouts.
The Cubs managed three hits, two by Seiya Suzuki, through seven innings and Greene struck out 12. Ian Happ drew a walk following Suzuki's one out single in the seventh. Nico Hoerner flied out to center and Greene's 12th strikeout, Michael Conforto, ended the inning.
Elly De La Cruz lined his 15th home run of the season into the left field stands to give the Reds a slim lead.
After Trent Thornton gave up a single to Tyler Stephenson in a scoreless inning, Jake Woodford started the bottom of the seventh for the Cubs. With one out, De La Cruz tripled into the right field corner. Sal Stewart picked up his 65th RBI with a line out to center field. Spencer Steer singled to the hole at short. JJ Bleday blasted his 15th home run to stretch the Reds lead.
"Elly put us on the board. Sal with a good piece of hitting with Elly on third and then Bleday gave us some cushion," Terry Francona said.
Greene left after seven scoreless innings to stretch his string to 16 against the Cubs. He allowed just three hits and a walk with 12 strikeouts.
"He pounded the zone with really good stuff. It was the second night in a row we got length from our starters," Francona said. "That is really good. The way he pitched, allowed us, because we didn't have anything in early."
Greene gave up a career-high eight runs in his last start, his first since getting bone chips removed from his elbow. He a admitted that he failed to control his emotions in that start.
"I stayed within myself tonight," Greene said. "That was my focus, like I mentioned in my first game. The excitement got to me. I have enough experience to know what our key is. It is just how we execute it."
Brock Burke allowed an infield hit in a scoreless eighth.
Emilio Pagan struck out the heart of the Cubs' batting order in the ninth to secure the win.
This was not a save situation for Pagan but with the heart of the order up the Cubs are capable of putting up runs quickly. They swept the Reds in May with three walk off wins, two in extra innings. Pagan was the losing pitcher in one of them when he couldn't protect a ninth inning 4-3 lead. He gave up a triple to Pete Crow-Armstrong and a walk off home run to Michael Conforto on May 4.
Pagan earned his sixth save on Sunday (070526) against the Baltimore Orioles when he loaded the bases on a hit and two walks, allowing one run in a 3-2 win.
"I told Tito that I would be better the next time," Pagan said. "I didn't think I would do that. (strikeout the side)."
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