Chicago Cubs unable to escape foggy day with win vs Reds

Castro hits game-tying HR in loss

Kris Bryant was unable to field a routine ground ball hit by Todd Frazier to lead off the top half of the 10th, resulting in a key throwing error that nearly found its way out of play. Frazier would later score on a Eugenio Suarez RBI single to left field giving the Cincinnati Reds a 5-4 lead and victory over the Chicago Cubs.

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Closer Aroldis Chapman was up and throwing in the bullpen after Cincinnati found themselves with runners on the corners with no outs and the fog continuing to roll in from Lake Michigan.

Cubs’ starter Jason Hammel got himself in a bit of a jam to start the game, allowing the Reds to plate three runs in the very first inning. Ivan de Jesus Jr. got things going with his second double of the season to drive in Skip Schumaker from first base.

Second baseman Addison Russell was credited with an error during Schumaker’s at-bat. Frazier followed things up with an RBI double of his own, extending Cincinnati’s lead to 2-0 before Brayan Pena drove him in from second.

Hammel (5-2, 2.76 ERA) recorded an RBI single in the home half of the second and came around to score on an RBI double by Russell to cut the Reds lead down to just one. He was charged with only two earned runs today on seven hits including four walks and striking out four in five innings of work.

While Hammel was only charged with two runs out of the four total, Johnny Cueto was another story. Cueto (4-4, 2.85 ERA) was tagged for four earned runs on seven hits but had the upper hand when it came to strikeouts, finishing the day with nine.

Shortstop Starlin Castro would launch a game-tying two-run big fly on a hanging change-up by Cueto in the sixth and sent it to Waveland Ave. It was his fifth home run of the season and only hit of the ballgame as he would finish 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.

Both Kris Bryant and Chris Coghlan were the only Cubs with multiple hits, combining 4-for-8 and three strikeouts while scoring a run apiece in the loss to their division rival.

These two teams will continue their four-game set tomorrow evening as Kyle Hendricks (2-2, 3.96 ERA) squares off against Mike Leake (3-4, 4.29 ERA) with the first pitch slated for 6:15 p.m. central time.

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