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 The Chicago Cubs first baseman clubbed a walk-off solo home run
in the ninth inning for a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in
the opener of a three-game Wrigley Field series.
Rizzo, playing in his first game in nearly three weeks after being
sidelined with back tightness, struggled in his first two at-bats on
Monday but delivered a dramatic finale.
The leadoff homer to center -- on a 1-0 pitch off Reds reliever
Pedro Villarreal -- was Rizzo's 31st of the season and second
walk-off this year.
"The first pitch I was taking all the way just to see his arm," said
Rizzo, who went 2-for-4. "The second pitch I just let loose and
fortunately I put a good swing on it."
Cubs right-handed reliever Hector Rondon (4-4) picked up the win
after working just one scoreless inning on the cool, cloudy night.
Villarreal (0-1) worked one-third of an inning and struck out one in
addition to the Rizzo homer.
Cubs center fielder Arismendy Alcantara made a run-saving catch to
end the eighth, sprinting into the ivy to pull in a Kristopher
Negron drive that might have scored center fielder Billy Hamilton
from first and break the scoreless tie.
"It's a brick wall out there and he went into it full force" said
Rizzo. "It was a great catch, it saved the game."
In the bottom of the inning, left-handed reliever Manny Parra walked
Cubs pinch hitter Mike Olt and departed with two out. Villarreal
faced Cubs prospect Javier Baez -- who had nine homers in 40 games
-- and struck him out.
Cubs left-handed starter Travis Wood worked six shutout innings,
allowing three hits while striking out four and walking three in his
10th no-decision outing of the year.
"(A scoreless game) really keeps you on your toes, knowing that you
can't mess up and make a mistake," Wood said. "Every pitch is as
important as it can be."
Reds right-handed starter Alfredo Simon gave up five hits through
seven scoreless innings and also had a no-decision. He struck out
three and walked just one.
"It was two really well-pitched games and Woody did a terrific job
and their bullpen came in and didn't give us a lot of
opportunities," said Reds manager Bryan Price. "We pitched almost as
good. It was a mistake that Rizzo took advantage of. He looked a
little rusty the first couple at-bats and then he had the infield
hit (in the sixth inning). He certainly is a dangerous hitter."
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The Cubs threatened early with bases loaded with two outs in the
first but catcher Welington Castillo popped up into foul territory
to end the inning.
Wood allowed just two hits through the first five innings and worked
out of a third-inning jam after the Reds had runners on second and
third with one out.
Wood struck out Hamilton and got Negron to fly to right to end the
threat.
Simon allowed four hits but saw his pitch count hit 84 by the end of
the fifth.
"This is my first season with the Reds to be a starter," Simon said.
"I want to show them I can be a starter for a real long time here
and I try to finish strong."
NOTES: The Reds inserted two September call-ups -- RF Yorman
Rodriguez and SS Jake Elmore -- into Monday's lineup for more
extensive looks after each played sparingly in the first two weeks
of the month. ... The Reds have won the last five series against the
Cubs and eight of the last nine night games in Chicago. ... With
potentially three more starts, Reds RHP Johnny Cueto is trying to
become the Reds first 20-game winner since Danny Jackson in 1988
(23-8). ... Cueto (18-8, 2.15 ERA) goes against Cubs RHP Jake
Arrieta (8-5, 2.82 ERA) in Tuesday's game. ... Prior to the Monday's
game, the Cubs saluted the Kane County Cougars, their Class A
affiliate, for winning the Midwest League championship last weekend
and finishing with a franchise record 91-49 overall record. ... Also
Monday, the Cubs named INF Kris Bryant and RHP Jen-Ho Tseng as minor
league player and pitcher of the year, respectively. Bryant, 22,
batted .325 with 34 doubles, one triple, 43 home runs and 110 RBIs
between Double-A Tennessee and Triple-A Iowa. Tseng was 6-1 with a
2.40 ERA in 19 games (17 starts) with Class A Kane County. ... The
Cubs win matched last year's victory total (66).
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