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 "It was one of those you really didn't feel off the bat," said
Bruce, of his 456-foot, two-run blast in the sixth inning of a 5-4
victory over the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series
Monday night at Great American Ball Park.
Left fielder Marlon Byrd and third baseman Todd Frazier also homered
for Cincinnati (41-49), both off Cubs starter Clayton Richard.
Ryan Mattheus (1-1) earned the victory with one scoreless inning of
relief.
With two outs in the sixth, Bruce crushed a 1-1 pitch from
right-hander Justin Grimm (1-3) to right field for a two-run shot,
putting the Reds ahead to stay.
Grimm was equally perturbed by walking Frazier prior to Bruce's
homer.
"I was just trying to attack Frazier. It didn't work out," Grimm
said. "I showed Bruce inside with the first pitch. I should've
stayed with my strength, but I made a scouting report pitch instead.
I'll learn from my mistake."
Coming into Monday's game, Cubs pitchers owned a major-league-best
2.12 ERA in July, but Richard allowed three earned runs and four
hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Chicago starters had gone 12 games without allowing a home run, the
longest streak by Cubs' starter since they went 13 straight game in
1988.
The top of the seventh ended in spectacular fashion when Reds second
baseman Brandon Phillips fielded Jorge Soler's grounder up the
middle and flipped behind his back to shortstop Eugenio Suarez, who
bare-handed it for the out.
"That's the only way that play can be made to get the out," said
Reds manager Bryan Price. "Our guys take a lot of pride in their
defense."
Chicago had the tying run at third base with one out in the eighth
but left him stranded.
Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, who threw a career-high 44 pitches
Sunday in an 11-inning loss to Cleveland, pitched a perfect ninth
Monday and notched his 19th save.
Chapman has recorded 54 consecutive save opportunities at Great
American Ball Park.
"He's from another planet," said Bruce of Chapman.
Chicago (49-42) elevated Reds rookie right-hander Michael Lorenzen's
pitch count early, and he never fully recovered, tossing 106 pitches
while giving up four runs on seven hits and three walks in five
innings.
"He had a long second inning," said Price of Lorenzen, who finished
one pitch shy of his career-high. "They took advantage of it."
First baseman Anthony Rizzo's sacrifice fly put the Cubs ahead 1-0
in the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, Frazier, who was 0-for-10 since the
All-Star break, crushed the first pitch he saw from Richard into the
grassy area in center field, tying the score 1-1.
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Frazier had gone 15 appearances without a homer, his longest drought
of the season.
"I got out of my element a little bit," said Frazier. "I was
swinging at bad pitches. It's a new week."
Richard's wild pitch in the fourth allowed first baseman Joey Votto
to score from third to put Cincinnati ahead 2-1.
Byrd immediately followed with his 16th home run on a 2-0 pitch from
Richard, making the score 3-1.
"They can do some damage," said Maddon. "Bruce finding his stroke
makes them entirely different."
The Cubs scored three times off Lorenzen in the fifth, the key hit
being Soler's two-out, two-run double that put Chicago ahead 4-3.
It could have been an even bigger inning had center fielder Dexter
Fowler not been thrown out at second trying for a double.
"We made a couple of mistakes, but it was a great game," said Cubs
manager Joe Maddon. "The guys kept fighting back. We just didn't
win. "If you weren't entertained by that game, you don't like
baseball."
NOTES: Cubs C David Ross was ejected in the seventh inning for
arguing from the dugout. ... The Cubs recalled RHP Rafael Soriano
from Triple-A Iowa and designated for assignment RHP Edwin Jackson.
Soriano threw a scoreless inning Monday. ... Cincinnati placed LHP
Manny Parra on the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Dylan
Axelrod from Triple-A Louisville. The Reds also transferred C Devin
Mesoraco to the 60-day DL. ... Both clubs announced their starters
for Wednesday's doubleheader, which makes up a rainout from April
25: RHP Kyle Hendricks will pitch Game 1 for the Cubs, and RHP
Dallas Beeler will be recalled from Triple-A Iowa to pitch in Game
2. Cincinnati will start RHP Mike Leake in Game 1 and recall LHP
Tony Cingrani from Triple-A Louisville for the second game.
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