[Caveat: I only saw the last inning. I heard the post-rain delay part of the game on the radio. Jason Linden had covered the game until midnight, but like a huge portion of the crowd at the friendly confines, Jason was done in by the rain delay.]
The Reds dropped the third game of the series after splitting the first two. They play the finale tomorrow at 8 p.m.
Reds 3, Cubs 4 | FanGraphs Info | John Fay: Reds shouldn’t fire Bryan Price
Joey Votto had two hits including a solo home run. He’s hitting .296/.398/.556 with and on pace for 37 home runs. Kristopher Negron had two hits. Eugenio Suarez hit a 2-run homer.
Manny Parra and Ryan Mattheus continued the solid bullpen effort this series. They threw 3 shutout innings, bringing the total for the series to 9.2 consecutive scoreless frames.
Mike Leake started and made it through 5 innings, giving up three runs. He only struck out one Cubs hitter and walked none.
Tucker Barnhart picked Addison Russell off second base in the eighth inning after Russell had led off with a double.
In the bottom of the ninth, Tony Cingrani gave up a run without recording an out as the Cubs twice took advantage of Billy Hamilton’s arm. First, Cingrani got to a 2-0 count on Kris Bryant before Bryant lined a single to center and took an extra base on Hamilton, whose throw was well up the second base line. An accurate throw would have had Bryant. Then Cingrani hit Miguel Montero to put runners at first and second. Cubs manager Joe Maddon opted against a sacrifice bunt. Starlin Castro lined Cingrani’s second pitch into short centerfield. Kris Bryant took home as Hamilton’s throw was cut off at the pitcher’s mound.