The Cincinnati Reds’ 6 runs in the span of innings two and three were enough to get the 6-5 win in the road series opener
against the Chicago Cubs on Monday night.
Will Benson knocked in the 1 of 3 runs scored in the top of the 2nd, while Luke Maile drove in the final two of the inning to give Cincinnati 3-0 lead.
The Cubs would get their first run on a solo home run by Dansby Swanson to cut into the Reds lead.
Cincinnati added 3 runs in the 3rd on singles by Jake Fraley and Joey Votto and a Christian Encarnacion-Strand fielder’s choice, giving the Reds their biggest lead of the game at 6-1.
Those would be the final runs Cincinnati would score, as Chicago scored the game’s final 4 runs.
The first three runs came in the bottom of the 3rd on sacrifice flies by Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ, and Yan Gomes single, to cut the Reds lead down to 2.
A Christopher Morel double made it a one run game after 8 innings.
Reds closer Alexis Diaz retired the side in order in the ninth to give Cincinnati the 6-5 win, thwarting the Cubs comeback attempt.
Ben Farmer earned the win on the mound, allowing 0 runs and 0 hits in 1 and 2/3 innings work.
Will Benson went 2-4 with a double and a triple.
With Milwaukee’s 5-3 loss to the Nationals on Monday, the Reds now have a 1.5 lead in the NL Central.
Game 2 of the series is tonight. Coverage on 103.9 WRBI begins at 7:35.