Chicago Cubs Recap: Frazier, Votto too much for Cubs in Game 1 loss

Reds unload on Hendricks, Medina

Mike Leake (8-5, 3.78 ERA) continued to dominate the Chicago Cubs, holding them to one earned runs on four hits with six strikeouts to improve his lifetime record against this club to 9-2 while leading his club to the 9-1 win in Game 1 of this doubleheader.

While Leake dealt on the bump for the Reds (42-50) Todd Frazier and the middle of this lineup picked apart both starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks and reliever Yoervis Medina in seven innings.

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Frazier got things going during the bottom of the first inning with a two-run double to Jorge Soler in right – his 27th two-base hit of the season that advanced first baseman Joey Votto over to third with Eugenio Saurez due up next.

Saurez made it a 4-0 game on the second pitch of the at-bat, sending a line drive to Chris Coghlan. Coghlan made a fantastic diving grab in the outfield later on in the game.

Rookie catcher, Kyle Schwarber – who played hero for the Cubs (50-43) in last night’s extra-innings win – plated the only run for his club on an RBI single to Billy Hamilton, pushing Addison Russell across to score, making it 4-1 in the third.

Hendricks (4-5, 3.66 ERA) surrendered five earned runs on seven hits with two walks but somehow managed to record nine strikeouts prior to being pulled by skipper Joe Maddon.

Votto connected on a solo home run in the home half of the fifth to extend Cincinnati’s lead back up to four runs.

With Medina on the mound and the bases loaded, the Reds pushed across four runs in the frame for the second time. Skip Schumaker worked a walk which allowed Votto to score until Billy Hamilton drove in a pair with a single to Chris Denorfia out in center field.

Cincinnati recorded their final run on an RBI single that scored Schumaker from third. They bumped Medina’s ERA up to 4.00 with those four earned runs but were unable to do any more damage against Neil Ramirez in the eighth.

Now it’s time for Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer to call about a possible trade with Leake.

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