Cubs fall behind early in loss to Reds; Bryant leaves after collision
The Chicago Cubs have been in most games this season, either way.
Sunday was a different story.
The Cubs played one of their most forgettable games of the year in a 10-2 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field.
Their biggest concern afterward was the health of Kris Bryant, who started in right field but had to leave the game in the sixth inning after colliding with center fielder Jason Heyward as they converged on a flyball off the bat of Eugenio Suarez.
Heyward called Bryant off the ball but Bryant bumped him and it caused Heyward to drop the ball. Bryant was charged with an error.
Bryant walked off the field under his own power, and he was still being evaluated by the Cubs' medial and athletic-training staffs after the game. Because Bryant was under evaluation, he was not made available to reporters.
Manager Joe Maddon said Bryant appeared to have suffered a head and/or neck injury. He said wasn't sure if Bryant were in the formal concussion protocol. Bryant was cleared to fly with the team to Houston.
"He's doing OK," Maddon said. "Still under evaluation. We don't know what we're doing with this whole thing yet. We're trying to talk with the docs and him to find out exactly where we're at."
Heyward, who normally plays right field, was tight-lipped about the collision with Bryant, who plays most of his games at third base.
"We collided, I called for the ball," Heyward said.
Heyward said he didn't know if Bryant also was calling for the ball.
"We were both going hard to make a play; we ran into each other," Heyward said.
Starting pitcher Jose Quintana lasted 5⅓ innings, giving up 12 hits and 6 runs (5 earned). This was hardly the most crisp game the Cubs played. About the only light touch came in the ninth inning, when Maddon had backup catcher Victor Caratini pitch. Caratini gave up 2 hits and 2 runs, including a 2-run homer to Curt Casali.
So the Cubs ended their seven-game homestand with a 3-4 mark, splitting four games with the Phillies and losing two of three to the Reds.
Maddon said he was ready to move on from Sunday and look forward to Monday afternoon's game at Houston.
"It's already in the trash can, brother," he said. "They got us early. Some well-placed (hits). If this was a fight, it would have been stopped on cuts. This whole series, we've been giving up a lot of that stuff. Let's flush it out and move on."