| Final | R | H | E |
|---|---|---|---|
|  Chicago Cubs (59-73) | 5 | 11 | 3 |
|   Cincinnati Reds (64-69) | 7 | 12 | 0 |
| W: Latos (5-3)   L: Turner (4-8)   S: Chapman (28) | |||
|  FanGraphs Win Probability |   The Worldwide Leader’s Box Score  |   Game Photos | |||
For seven innings, the Cubs future for the most part was put on hold and the Cincinnati Reds played like they were supposed to in 2014. The home team hit, Mat Latos struck out a bunch of guys, and holy cow did the Cubs commit errors.
Cubs cub, free pizza, Reds wi …
Enter Jonathan Broxton. Apparently Big Brox drew the “light the game on fire” straw in the bullpen tonight. Broxton has pitched well this year from a runs-allowed standpoint. But he’s skated by with too few strikeouts and too many walks. He’s benefitted from a BABIP (.190) and HR/FB (.54) well below his career norms. His ERA entering tonight might have been 1.36, but his ERA-estimators were telling a different story (4.26 xFIP, 3.79 SIERA). When I suggested at the trade deadline the Reds try to peddle their $7 million set-up reliever to a team looking for a closer, that’s what was on my mind. If Starlin Castro hadn’t stood at home plate admiring his eighth inning “single” that hit off the centerfield wall, Broxton would have blown the four run lead by giving up three hits.
Aroldis Chapman surrendered a lead-off single, a walk and deeeeeeeep fly ball to end the game. Chapman did strike out two more batters, giving him 11 in 5 innings for the home stand.
Cubs cub, free pizza, Reds win. Barely.
Every Reds starter had at least one hit, but it was the bottom of the order that contributed important runs early in the game. Skip Schumaker drove in two of the Reds first three runs with a double and single. Zack Cozart drove in the tying run in the second inning. Kristopher Negron contributed two excellent defensive plays at third base in the first inning, a hit and infinite hustle.
New papa Mat Latos struck out a season-high ten and walked only one.
Billy Hamilton stole third base in the fourth inning, becoming only the ninth Reds player to steal 50 in a season.
I don’t know why Chris Heisey hits better as a pinch hitter than as a starter, but wow. Heisey hit a long, long home run to left center field in the eighth inning. That guy can definitely be my fifth outfielder, as long as three of the other four stay healthy. Not sure why he didn’t stay in the game to play left field. Heisey might have made a play on the leadoff single in the ninth that Schumaker just surrounded.
Devin Mesoraco, batting fourth, had two hits a walk and was hit by a pitch. Jay Bruce had a hit and a walk. Hamilton had two hits.