Suarez's clutch jack in 9th caps Reds' comeback
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CHICAGO -- As Reds third baseman Eugenio Suárez watched the ball leave his bat in the top of the ninth inning and clear the fence in left-center field, giving his team a big 6-5 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday, Jesse Winker was on-deck watching Suarez and enjoying every moment.
¡°It was probably the coolest swing of the year, so far. It was awesome. I¡¯m so happy,¡± Winker said. ¡°He carries our offense. He¡¯s our best hitter. I get to watch him from the on-deck circle. I feel like I have the best seat in the house when he¡¯s up. I¡¯m really happy for him. He¡¯s the best.¡±
A two-out pinch-hit RBI single in the bottom of the eighth inning by Willson Contreras put Cincinnati down, 5-4. The Reds and starter Anthony DeSclafani initially trailed, 4-0, in the fourth inning, but they responded with four runs -- including a homer and three RBIs from Yasiel Puig and Winker¡¯s game-tying RBI double -- over the next four innings until Chicago answered back. Then the Reds did likewise.
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In the top of the ninth, Cubs closer Steve Cishek walked first batter Joey Votto. Next was Suarez, who slugged his two-run homer on a first-pitch sinker. Once the ball was in the seats, he screamed excitedly toward the Reds¡¯ dugout and thumped his chest as he jogged to first base.
¡°I¡¯ve got to enjoy that one,¡± said Suarez, who leads the club with 14 homers this season after he hit 34 during an All-Star 2018 season. ¡°Everybody knows that Cishek is a really tough pitcher with that move and sidearm. He¡¯s got a really good sinker. That time, he missed that ball right there in my strike zone. I¡¯m always ready to hit a fastball. I hit that one and to get the ¡®W¡¯ for us was really nice.¡±
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Cubs manager Joe Maddon noted Cishek wasn¡¯t well-rested.
¡°He probably didn't have a full tank, probably three-quarters maybe,¡± Maddon said. ¡°So, the stuff wasn't as clean or crisp. And Suarez is just a pain in the butt, man.¡±
According to Statcast, Suarez's homer left the bat at 104.9 mph and traveled a projected 445 feet. It was the third career go-ahead homer in the ninth inning or later for Suarez and his first with his team trailing at the time.
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It was the second time in 10 days that Suarez delivered a big homer against a beleaguered Cubs bullpen. On May 15 in the eighth inning, he hit a game-tying two-run homer against Carl Edwards Jr. before the Reds won the game in 10 innings.
¡°I love those moments,¡± Suarez said. ¡°We always battle to be better every time. For me personally, to hit those big homers like that to give the lead to our team, it¡¯s awesome. It¡¯s nice.¡±
Said manager David Bell: ¡°That¡¯s really the key -- anticipating and wanting to be up in that situation or wanting the ball hit to you. It¡¯s fun seeing him come through like that. That¡¯s what it¡¯s all about.¡±
The Reds have fallen in one-run games 13 times this season, but Friday marked their eighth one-run win and it was maybe the biggest of 2019. Although they are at the bottom of the National League Central with a 23-27 record, the Reds trail the first-place Cubs by 6 1/2 games and have won three of the four contests played between the two teams.
¡°It doesn¡¯t get much better than that,¡± Bell said. ¡°A lot of things had to go right. Guys came through all day long. It¡¯s right up there in the top couple for sure.¡±
Among the things that went right leading up to Suarez¡¯s big homer were:
? After DeSclafani lasted only 3 2/3 innings and left with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth, lefty reliever Wandy Peralta got a ground ball to third base from Kyle Schwarber to end the inning.
¡°That was the game right there,¡± Bell said.
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? In the sixth inning, Puig clobbered a 2-0 pitch from Hendricks for a two-run homer to left-center field. According to Statcast, the drive had a 107.5 mph exit velocity and traveled a projected 431 feet, pulling Cincinnati within a run.
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? A two-out rally in the seventh culminated with Winker hitting an RBI double to right-center field that scored Votto to make it a 4-4 game. Votto reached base three times and scored two runs.
¡°We hit well, we pitched well. It¡¯s a tough team, a tough place to play,¡± Winker said. ¡°That¡¯s a big win for us."