Lester helps Cubs past Reds, 1-0
The Chicago Cubs made a slim lead stand up for a third straight game in a 1-0 win over Cincinnati at Wrigley Field on Saturday, thanks to starting pitcher Jon Lester and the bullpen committee.
Lester (16-6) showed no lingering effects of the back soreness that forced him from his previous start against Milwaukee after 5⅔ innings. The left-hander limited the Reds to 2 hits and 2 walks and struck out 9 in 7 innings.
"It kind of ended up moving to my hip," Lester said of the pain he managed between starts. "Then we were able to get some mobility back in there and it was fine. Like I said, good drugs and good docs so we're all good."
The all-star pitcher is hot once again. Lester has a 1.73 ERA in 36⅓ innings over his last 6 starts. Saturday's outing lowered his season ERA from 3.57 to 3.43.
Reds starting pitcher Cody Sheets matched Lester for 5 innings. The lefty allowed 2 hits and 2 walks and struck out a career-high 10 batters, but the Cubs' starter was better.
"He's just a bulldog," shortstop Addison Russell said.
Lester returned Russell's compliment in light of the unsung play the infielder made to keep the game scoreless in the top of the sixth. Lester walked Billy Hamilton on a 3-2 count to open the inning and the Cincinnati speedster promptly stole second base. A low throw from Contreras got past Javier Baez at second base, but Russell alertly backed up the play and kept Hamilton from reaching third base with one out.
Hamilton tried to steal third and was initially ruled safe, but the call was soon overturned.
"That play that Addy made, it changes the game," Lester said. "It changes the whole aspect of that inning. If you've got one out and a guy on third base that can run, you're going to probably concede that run."
"If a play is going on and someone is standing still, you know they're doing the wrong thing," Russell said. "There's a job to be done every single play."
The Cubs snapped the scoreless tie with two outs in the bottom of the sixth against reliever Sal Romano. Contreras used an inside-out swing to bounce a single through the second-base hole, scoring Baez, who singled to lead off the inning and advanced to second base on David Bote's groundout.
That's all the run support Lester and the bullpen needed. Though he walked Votto to open the seventh inning, Lester bounced back to strike out Eugenio Suarez with his 107th pitch of the game. His 108th and final pitch induced a double-play grounder from Phillip Ervin to end the threat.
"Jonny typically gets better when he smells it," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He made some really big pitches when he had to."
Justin Wilson threw a scoreless eighth inning and Maddon and the bullpen pieced it together in the ninth. Right-hander Jesse Chavez got pinch hitter Scooter Gennett on a flyball to left-center field for the first out before Jose Peraza singled.
With Votto due up, Maddon summoned left-hander Randy Rosario. He induced a deep flyball to Albert Almora for the second out. Steve Cishek came on to get the final out with one pitch - a Suarez groundball to Bote at third base.
"They were set up in a manner where we could do what we did," Maddon said of playing the matchups."