CHICAGO – As the Cincinnati Reds try to salvage their season ahead of the trade deadline, these are the losses that invite more disappointment.
So many missed opportunities. A battered bullpen that continues to struggle after the All-Star break. A lot of what-ifs.
The box score will show a 6-5, walk-off loss to the Chicago Cubs in front of 29,215 fans at Wrigley Field. Javier Báez hit a walk-off single against Amir Garrett with one out in the bottom of the ninth inning and taunted Garrett as he walked up the first-base line.
The Reds had two runners on base with no outs in the top of the ninth inning, but couldn’t do anything more against Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel.
The Reds loaded the bases in the eighth inning against Cubs reliever Keegan Thompson through a single, catcher’s interference and a walk. A chance to give breathing room for a porous bullpen. They failed to add to their one-run lead with a flyout to shallow center field and two strikeouts.
It led to an all-too-predictable set of events.
Lefty reliever Josh Osich surrendered a game-tying, solo homer to Willson Contreras with one out in the bottom half of the inning. Catcher Tucker Barnhart called for a cutter off the inside part of the plate and Osich left it down the middle. A few Cubs fans in center field celebrated by throwing beer cans onto the warning track.
Osich has allowed seven earned runs in his last five relief appearances, which includes three home runs.
The blown save spoiled a magnificent outing from rookie reliever Tony Santillan, who was moved to the bullpen at the beginning of the month. Forget it was only the second time in his Major League career he’s pitched in a road ballpark and he’s still new to his role as a reliever.
Santillan was tasked with pitching out of a bases-loaded jam with one out in the fifth inning while protecting a two-run lead. Talk about thrown into the fire.
He induced an inning-ending double play against pinch-hitter Jason Heyward to escape the fifth inning. Then he overpowered the top of the Cubs lineup with fastballs and sliders in the sixth inning, striking out three of the four batters he faced in the frame.
Contreras, who led off the sixth inning, didn’t hide his frustration when Santillan pumped a 96-mph fastball past him. Contreras broke his bat by slamming it to the ground, then shattered his bat when he took out his frustration on the bat rack in the dugout.
Despite a matchup between two of the best starting pitchers in the National League Central, Wade Miley and Kyle Hendricks, it turned into a battle of the bullpens. Both starters lasted 4 1/3 innings as they struggled with command and walked a combined nine hitters.
Every time Miley allowed a run Monday, the Reds’ offense answered back immediately. Down by two runs in the second inning, Joey Votto crushed a solo homer to right field. It was his third homer in as many games. He pointed to a group of Cubs fans by the on-deck circle after celebrating his homer with Eugenio Suárez.
Down by a run in the third inning, the Reds loaded the bases with no outs through singles from Miley, Jonathan India and Jesse Winker. Votto hit a game-tying sacrifice fly, but the Reds scored only one run from a big opportunity.
When the Reds trailed by a run in the fourth inning, Kyle Farmer continued his excellent July with a solo homer to left field.
The Reds took a 5-3 lead in the fifth inning against Hendricks. India and Winker opened with back-to-back hits. Aristides Aquino, who struck out in his first two at-bats, drew a five-pitch walk. Then with the bases loaded, Votto drew a four-pitch walk to bring in a run.
When Cubs reliever Adam Morgan entered with the bases loaded and one out, Reds manager David Bell countered with Tyler Stephenson as a pinch-hitter. Stephenson drove in a run on a fielder’s choice ground ball.
Miley didn’t have his usual command. He allowed a two-run homer to Anthony Rizzo in the first inning, the first home run he’s given up to a left-handed hitter this season. He walked a season-high five batters.
The Cubs couldn’t capitalize much against Miley, stranding seven runners against him in the first four innings, but the Reds failed to build on their lead.
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