A pitcher’s duel this was not.
Chicago went deep five times, but lost for the seventh time in nine games. Third baseman Kris Bryant homered twice, and first baseman Anthony Rizzo, shortstop Javier Báez and outfielder Ian Happ also went deep.
As so often happens, the dreaded ex-Cub Factor came back to haunt Chicago. Ex-Cub Nick Castellanos not only had 5 hits and 4 RBIs, it was his liner past a 5-man Cubs infield in the bottom of the 10th that scored the winning run from third.
It was a seesaw battle until the 7th when the Reds took a 4-run lead, 12-8, on a Castellanos homer to right.
But the Cubs came back in the 8th on an RBI single by pinch-hitter Jake Marisnick and a 3-run bomb by Happ.
Then, it all came down to the ex-Cubs Factor. And we all know how that ends.
The Cubs are home against the Dodgers tomorrow night at Wrigley.
