Another ninth-inning collapse for Cubs in Cincinnati in painful 2-1 loss
The Cubs took a second straight kick to the teeth in Cincinnati.
They got everything they needed from starting pitcher Javier Assad, who tossed 8 scoreless innings. Assad picked off two runners, the Cubs turned a pair of double plays and catcher Yan Gomes added a caught stealing.
But for the second day in a row, the Cubs gave it all back in the ninth inning and suffered a painful 2-1 loss to the Reds.
Mark Leiter Jr. started the ninth inning and loaded the bases with nobody out after a double, walk and hit batter. Elly De La Cruz then tied the score with a sharp single to right field to score a run.
After Nick Martini was retired on a short fly ball, Cubs manager David Ross turned to Jose Cuas, who gave up a grounder to short from Hunter Renfroe. Dansby Swanson made a diving stop and the Cubs put forth a valiant effort at turning a game-saving double play, but Renfroe beat the relay by a half-step and the call stood up to a replay review.
On Friday, the Cubs were two outs from a doubleheader sweep before Adbert Alzolay gave up 2 runs in the bottom of the ninth.
"Assad was phenomenal; needed a big outing," Ross told reporters after the game. "Everybody in the bullpen's been cashed. Leiter there, that's four out of five days for him, he's running on fumes. Just a little bit short with the doubleheader and going after it yesterday and coming up short. Trying to keep those guys as fresh as possible."
Leiter, Jr., Alzolay and Julian Merryweather had all worked three of the previous four days. It's easy to second guess when things go wrong, but if Alzolay and Merryweather were overworked, then why use Leiter, who was in the same boat?
Sending Assad out for the ninth inning at 98 pitches was probably a stretch. But the Cubs could have started the inning with the fresher Cuas or tried Daniel Palencia, who's delivered six straight scoreless outings and pitched just once this week.
It's also curious why the Cubs called up veteran Shane Greene when rosters expanded on Sept. 1 and haven't used him. One logical strategy would have been to try to use Greene for a few innings in the doubleheader, then make another roster move to bring a fresh arm up from Iowa.
"A loss is a loss. All of them are really frustrating," Ross said. "The bullpen's been really good for us all year. We did a lot of things well and just weren't able to close it out again."
At the same time, the real problem might be the Cubs' lack of run production. They plated 6 runs in the early game Friday, but scored a combined 7 runs in their other four games, including the last two against Milwaukee.
The team's other Sept. 1 call-up, outfielder Alexander Canario, hasn't played either. There have been plenty of examples of Cubs players doing well in their first few days in the majors, when opposing teams don't have a good idea of how to pitch them.
Neither team scored Saturday until Jeimer Candelario sent a low pitch into the left field seats in the seventh inning. Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott left the game at that point, allowing just 4 hits. Abbott, 24, has been the Reds' best pitcher this season, but his ERA in August was 6.08.
Four Reds pitchers have gone on the COVID list this week, including Sunday's scheduled starter Brandon Williamson. Hunter Greene, Ben Lively, reliever Fernando Cruz are the others.
Assad used his typical mix of cutter and slider, lowering his season ERA to 2.69. According to Marquee Sports Network, he's the first Cubs pitcher to pick off two baserunners in the same game since Steve Trachsel in 1994.
"Just staying confident, trusting in myself, trusting in my pitches and most importantly, trusting the guys behind me, who were playing great," Assad said, with help from a translator.
Jameson Taillon is scheduled to start for the Cubs in Sunday's series finale, while the Reds will reportedly use right-hander Carson Spiers for his major league debut.
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