Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds

· Major League Baseball

Chicago Cubs

32-34, 14-21 Away

Final
4 - 2

Cincinnati Reds

32-34, 17-18 Home

Happ's 3-run double and Imanaga's strong start help Cubs avoid sweep with 4-2 win over Reds

“We pitched really well today,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Really good at-bats in the first inning. And we got a big hit. We didn’t get big hits most of the day, unfortunately.”

The two teams have been going in opposite directions. The Reds have won 12 of 16 while the Cubs have lost 12 of 16.

The Reds who won the first three games in the series, haven't swept the Cubs in a four-game series since 2018.

Imanaga (6-1) has allowed 12 runs (eight earned) over his past two starts. On Sunday, he allowed two earned runs in 6 2/3 with a walk and seven strikeouts.

“The best pitchers in the game give up hits,” Counsell said. “He fooled us into thinking it never happens.”

Seiya Suzuki returned to the Cubs lineup and went 3 for 5 with a double and run scored. He missed Saturday's game after being hit in the back by a throw on Friday.

Reds starter Frankie Montas (3-5) was coming off his best outing of the season allowing one hit in seven innings at Colorado on Tuesday. But the Cubs hit him hard Sunday.

Happ snapped an 0-for-11 skid with a bases-loaded double that drove in three runs.

“Up three in the first, takes the pressure off a little bit,” Happ said. “We had a lot of chances today. Scored four, could’ve been a lot more. Just keep building off that.”

Montas needed 39 pitches to get through the first inning.

The Cubs added a fourth run in the second on Michael Tauchman's RBI single. Montas exited after allowing four earned runs on five hits in 1 1/3 innings.

“It was one of those you’re not in sync with your body," Montas said. "The mechanics mess with you. I couldn’t throw the fastball up when I wanted. My arm is healthy. My next bullpen I will figure why. I’ll just flip the page.”

Reds catcher Luke Maile launched his second homer of the season on Imanaga's first pitch of the third to make the score 4-1.

“I executed better on what I’m good at, fastball and the changeup down,” Imanaga said through a translator. “If we’re winning or we’re losing, my job’s still the same. Just go out there and pitch.”

Carson Spiers, recalled from Triple-A prior to the game, tossed 5 2/3 scoreless innings in relief of Montas to keep the score close.

The Cubs left the bases loaded in the top of the ninth. But Héctor Neris retired the Reds in order in the bottom half for his ninth save of the season.

TRAINERS ROOM

Cubs: 2B Nico Hoerner remained out of the lineup after fracturing a bone in his right hand when he was hit by a pitch on Thursday. He did light activity on Sunday and will be evaluated following Monday's off day.

Reds: RHP Emilio Pagán (right lat strain) was placed on the 15-day injured list.

Cubs: Right-hander Jameson Taillon (3-2, 3.47 ERA) will start Tuesday's series opener in Tampa Bay.

Reds: The starter has not been announced for Tuesday's opener of a two-game series against Cleveland.

How can I watch Chicago Cubs vs. Cincinnati Reds?

TV Channel: Cubs at Reds 2022 MLB Baseball, is broadcasted on MLB.tv.
Online streaming: Sign up for Fubo.

Matchup Prediction

Reds: 55.3%

Cubs: 44.7%

*According to ESPN's Basketball Power Index

Scoring Summary

	9th Inning	Espinal grounded out to third.
	9th Inning	India struck out swinging.
	9th Inning	Steer struck out swinging.
	9th Inning	Neris relieved Leiter Jr.
	9th Inning	Bote flied out to center.
	9th Inning	Swanson intentionally walked.

Statistics

CHC		CIN
1	Games Played	1
1	Team Games Played	1
1	Hit By Pitch	0
12	Ground Balls	7
9	Strikeouts	11
4	Runs Batted In	2
0	Sacrifice Hit	0
11	Hits	5
2	Stolen Bases	0
6	Walks	2
0	Catcher Interference	0
4	Runs	2
2	Ground Into Double Play	0
0	Sacrifice Flies	0
36	At Bats	31
0	Home Runs	1
0	Grand Slam Home Runs	0
28	Runners Left On Base	6
0	Triples	0
1	Game Winning RBIs	0
2	Intentional Walks	0
4	Doubles	0
15	Fly Balls	13
0	Caught Stealing	0
172	Pitches	125
0	Games Started	0
0	Pinch At Bats	2
0	Pinch Hits	0
0.0	Player Rating	0.0
1	Is Qualified	1
1	Is Qualified In Steals	0
15	Total Bases	8
43	Plate Appearances	33
0.0	Projected Home Runs	162.0
4	Extra Base Hits	1
6.5	Runs Created	1.4
.306	Batting Average	.161
.000	Pinch Hit Average	.000
.417	Slugging Percentage	.258
.333	Secondary Average	.161
.419	On Base Percentage	.212
.835	OBP Pct + SLG Pct	.470
0.8	Ground To Fly Ball Ratio	0.5
6.5	Runs Created Per 27 Outs	1.5
37.0	Batter Rating	16.0
0.0	At Bats Per Home Run	31.0
1.00	Stolen Base Percentage	0.00
4.00	Pitches Per Plate Appearance	3.79
.111	Isolated Power	.097
0.67	Walk To Strikeout Ratio	0.18
.140	Walks Per Plate Appearance	.061
.028	Secondary Average Minus Batting Average	.000
8.0	Runs Produced	4.0
1.0	Runs Ratio	1.0
0.5	Patience Ratio	0.3
0.4	Balls In Play Average	0.2
86.8	MLB Rating	67.3
0.0	Offensive Wins Above Replacement	0.0
0.0	Wins Above Replacement	0.0