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 Five Cubs relievers combined for six scoreless innings of two-hit
ball as the Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 in the opener of a
four-game weekend series.
Left-hander Travis Wood (3-2) relieved Wada in the fourth and worked
2 2/3 innings for the win while right-hander Hector Rondon pitched
the ninth for his 11th save.
"You can't say enough about the bullpen today, every one of them was
outstanding," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "And Woody really put
some definition into that game. He really got it back on our side."
Catcher Miguel Montero went 2-for-3 with a three-run home run, and
Dexter Fowler added a solo shot as the Cubs (32-26) collected their
fourth win in five games.
Cincinnati rookie right-hander Michael Lorenzen (1-2) took his
second consecutive loss as the Reds saw a four-game winning streak
snapped.
The Cubs biggest concern was Wada, who has had back-to-back short
outings. Maddon said he's not ready to pull him from the rotation
but recent trends are worrisome.
"He just needs to become more assertive like he was earlier," Maddon
said. "I'm seeing him try to be too complicated. Let's simplify this
whole thing, trust your good stuff."
Lorenzen landed in quick trouble when Montero's blast to
right-center gave the Cubs a 3-0 lead in the first inning. The Reds
starter gave up a one-out double to first baseman Anthony Rizzo,
walked third baseman Kris Bryant and then surrendered the homer --
the catcher's eighth of the season -- on a 3-2 pitch.
"They turned the tables on us and Montero with the three-run home
run," said Reds manager Bryan Price. "Michael (Lorenzen) was able to
pull himself out of a 3-0 hole, then a series of fastballs one after
another to get to 3-2 and then the 3-2 fastball was a decent pitch
up just enough to get the barrel on it."
The Reds (27-32) got two runs back in the second. Lorenzen tagged
Wada for a two-out triple to right to drive in catcher Brayan Pena
and shortstop Eugenio Suarez, just called up from Triple-A
Louisville.
Fowler opened the third by taking Lorenzen's 1-0 pitch to the right
field bleachers for a 4-2 lead. It was the center fielder's seventh
homer of the season.
Reds left fielder Chris Dominguez homered to left to start the
fourth, trimming the Cubs' lead to 4-3. That also spelled the end
for Wada.
Wada, who pitched 3 2/3 innings his previous time out, worked
three-plus innings Thursday and allowed three runs and four hits
while striking out four and walking two.
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"It wasn't as bad as the last time, but I just can't make
adjustments," Wada said. "That's not the way I pitch. I just can't
find it right now."
Bryant padded the lead in the fifth with a one-out double to the
left field corner that scored second baseman Addison Russell for a
5-3 Chicago lead.
A walk to Fowler then loaded the bases and marked the end for
Lorenzen.
Facing reliever Burke Badenhop, left fielder Chris Coghlan bounced a
weak grounder in front of the plate that was mishandled by Pena for
an error. That allowed Coghlan to reach base while Rizzo scored from
third for a 6-3 lead.
Lorenzen worked 4 1/3 innings in just his eighth career appearance.
He allowed five hits and six runs (five earned), struck out six and
walked three.
"One thing that I was happy about was that I didn't step off the
gas," Lorenzen said. "I kept going out there and saying 'this is
what I have today and I'm going to keep coming at you with it.'
"They kept tacking them on but I didn't back down."
Thursday's game was the first with all seats in the park available.
The right field bleachers -- the last piece of an outfield project
that included new seating and two video boards -- opened for the
first time.
NOTES: The Reds kicked off a six-game trip that includes four games
in Chicago followed by a two-game visit to Detroit. ... Five members
of the Reds' Opening Day lineup missed the series opener with
injuries: C Devin Mesoraco (left hip), 2B Brandon Phillips (left
groin), SS Zack Cozart (right knee), LF Marlon Byrd (right wrist)
and CF Billy Hamilton (left wrist). ... Cozart sustained a
season-ending knee injury while trying to beat out a hit in
Wednesday's 5-2 win over the Phillies. ... The Reds send RHP Johnny
Cueto (4-4, 2.64 ERA) against Cubs RHP Jason Hamel (5-2, 2.76 ERA)
on Friday.
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