Yet another series win over the Cubs

Winning the series over the Cubs was very impressive. Especially as Chicago is pushing for the postseason, and really, the Reds have little to play for. 

Scoring a total of just nine runs over the course of the three-game series was less impressive. However, eight different players crossed home plate. I can’t decide if this is good or bad.

Both teams were missing their first basemen on Monday. Anthony Rizzo suffered a horrific twist in Sunday’s game which looked so bad that we may not see him again this season. Joey Votto was scratched just before first pitch but he only missed one game.

Cubs won comfortably despite not wanting to pitch to Eugenio Suarez, who walked three times. Aristides Aquino went 0-for-5 while stranding eight base runners.

Kevin Gausman, in his first start in Reds’ colours, only lasted two innings after giving up three runs, but if anything, that was a better appearance than Amir Garrett who gave up two runs without recording an out.

To be honest, I know the Reds didn’t have Votto or Nick Senzel or Jesse Winker, but the Cubs were without Rizzo and Javier Baez, yet they made us look second rate. How did we beat them earlier in the season?

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Tuesday was a much better game with Sonny Gray tossing another gem. He passed Hall-of-Famer Nolan Ryan in the record books with 32 consecutive starts of allowing six runs or fewer. Being mentioned in the same sentence as the pitching great is pretty cool.

Gray will reach the 200 strikeout mark for the first time in his career with his first K in his next start. And to think that the Yankees gave up on him. Full marks to the Reds Front Office for pulling off that deal.

Aquino hit a first-inning homer to take his tally to 16 for the season, but that was one of the very few mistakes made by Yu Darvish. The Japanese phenom set a franchise record with eight consecutive strikeouts. The Reds batter at he could not strike out at either end of that streak was … Jose Peraza. Who would have guessed?

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Suarez was the man of the moment in the series finale. With his 48th home run of the season, not only has he taken the MLB lead, but he also took the title for the most homers by a Venezuelan in one season. Venezuela has gifted the game some sensational players like Andres Galarraga, Jose Altuve and Miguel Cabrera.

So that was the fifth series victory over the Cubs in 2019. Fifth!

It is a rest day on Thursday ahead of the weekend series against the Mets. Reds are nine games below .500 with nine to play.

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