Chicago Cubs Recap: Reds turn the tables on Lackey, Cubs in 13-5 loss

The Cincinnati Reds got themselves a little payback after giving up 21 runs to the Chicago Cubs over the first two games of this series. Chicago jumped out to an early lead but the home team jumped all over Lackey and this bullpen late in the game.

Boy, this one has to feel good for the Reds. After being no-hit by ace right-hander Jake Arrieta on Thursday and held to only one run by southpaw Jon Lester on Friday, Cincinnati brought the fight to John Lackey and the Chicago Cubs on Saturday evening.

Shortstop Addison Russell got the North Siders going by drilling a solo home run to left field, reaching the upper deck. His first home run of the season came back at Wrigley Field with the Reds in town and was a three-run shot that lifted the Cubs to victory.

This time around, it was going to take more than that to beat their National League Central rival. Cincinnati (9-8) clawed their way back by grabbing their first lead of the series later on in the fourth inning.

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Third baseman Eugenio Suarez had himself a huge night in the batter’s box, finishing the game 3-for-4 with four RBI. He had himself an RBI single in the fourth and a three-run dinger in the sixth.

Lackey (2-1, 4.97) was hoping to reach 3-0 for the first time in his career but was absolutely manhandled on the bump. He surrendered six earned runs on seven hits with one walk and five strikeouts across 5 2/3 frames.

Chicago Cubs (13-5) skipper, Joe Maddon, went into his bullpen after Lackey allowed Cincinnati to regain the lead. It was an off-night for a pen that has pitched extremely well to start the year.

All three men who entered the game, Trevor Cahill, Neil Ramirez, and Clayton Richard were tagged for a combined seven earned runs on seven hits and three big flies.

Saurez started off that huge seven-run sixth inning which included another three-run shot off the bat of Adam Duvall and a solo home run to Scott Schebler to right field. This gave the Reds a commanding 9-3 lead.

The Cubs attempted to throw together a late rally when right-fielder Jason Heyward sent a pitch out to left field, pushing Dexter Fowler across to score. Second baseman Ben Zobrist kept the inning alive with a two-out RBI single of his own that scored Heyward to make it a four-run ballgame. Until the Reds exploded, yet again.

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Veteran first baseman Joey Votto, like Rizzo, was off to a slow start. Votto hammered his second home run of the season to deep right field. Tyler Holt and Suarez tallied another two runs during the bottom half of the eighth to make it 13-5.

Something that stood out in tonight’s loss is the errors. The Cubs were charged with three on the night which is their second most. Two were charged to Russell that gives him three on the year while the third was issued to Jorge Soler.

They’ll need to improve their defense if they have any hopes of avoiding a series split. Tomorrow afternoon, right-hander Jason Hammel will take the mound.