The Cincinnati Reds totaled eight runs in their three-game series against the Chicago Cubs, which usually amounts to a slump in hot weather at Great American Ball Park.
This weekend, it resulted in a sweep.
The Reds had dominant pitching all weekend and scored some timely runs in the late innings. They followed that same script in their 3-2 victory Sunday in front of a crowd of 29,340. It was the first time the Reds swept the Cubs in a series of any length since 2018.
The bullpen, which is without top arms Tejay Antone and Lucas Sims, pitched 10 1/3 shutout innings throughout the weekend. The same group that cost the Reds some games early in the season has carried the club to four consecutive one-run wins.
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Brad Brach recorded four key outs against the middle of the Cubs lineup and Amir Garrett earned the two-out save.
The Reds completed their 11-game homestand with a 7-4 record. They sit in second place in the National League Central, seven games behind the red-hot Milwaukee Brewers. They’ll play seven consecutive games against the Brewers, beginning Thursday.
It wasn’t until the seventh inning when the Reds pulled ahead Sunday. Trailing by a run, they loaded the bases with no outs via singles from Eugenio Suárez and Tucker Barnhart, and Kyle Farmer was hit by a pitch.
After a fielder’s choice out at the plate, Cubs reliever Dan Winkler hit Jonathan India with a cutter in a 3-0 count. It was the 11th time India was hit by a pitch this season, but arguably the most rewarding.
The Cubs brought in lefty reliever Andrew Chafin to face the middle of the Reds lineup with the score tied and the bases loaded. Jesse Winker, the first batter that Chafin faced, hit a ground ball to first base. It turned into a go-ahead RBI on a fielder’s choice because Chafin was a step slow covering first and there was no attempt at turning a double play.
It wasn’t a pretty way to score two runs after the Reds loaded the bases with no outs, but it wasn’t an easy task. Chafin, who is on a 20 2/3-inning scoreless streak, had stranded his last nine inherited runners before Sunday.
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The Reds cut their deficit to one run in the second inning when Barnhart hit an RBI double to the left-field wall, scoring Farmer from first base. It was an aggressive send from Reds third-base coach J.R. House, but the throw to the plate was cut off near the pitcher’s mound.
Wade Miley gave the Reds another solid start, permitting two runs in 6 2/3 innings. Miley has pitched at least six innings in each of his last five outings.
Miley surrendered 10 hits, the second-most he’s allowed in a start this season, but a lot of it came on weaker contact. The Cubs had three consecutive ground ball hits in the first inning that rolled in the hole between shortstop and third base. The third one from Javier Báez resulted in a run when Kris Bryant scored from second base.
In the second inning, opposing starter Kyle Hendricks hit an RBI chopper up the middle. It scored Jake Marisnick, who tripled to center field earlier in the inning.
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Miley threw a first-pitch strike to 14 of the first 18 batters he faced. Even when there were runners on base, it didn’t seem to faze him. He stranded Anthony Rizzo after a one-out double in the third inning. A double play erased a one-out single in the fourth. Báez reached on an infield single in the fifth inning and Miley retired the next three batters.
The 34-year-old Miley holds a 3.06 ERA through 15 starts, the best mark in the Reds’ rotation.
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