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Chicago Cubs at Cincinnati Reds

Sat Sep 196:40 PM ETCincinnati, OH
By JR·2 min read
Chicago CubsCHC(87-69)
Cincinnati RedsCIN(72-84)
9—1
FINAL
Final123456789RHE
CHC
1040300109131
CIN
000100000140

TLDR: Chicago turned this one into a laugher early, but the moment that'll stick from Great American Ball Park has nothing to do with the scoreboard.

David Peterson (9-8, 4.96 ERA) and Rhett Lowder (6-12, 6.01 ERA) took the mound at Great American Ball Park for a 6:40 PM ET first pitch, Chicago still very much alive at 87-69 in the playoff picture and Cincinnati playing out the string at 72-84.

FINAL
Spread
WIN
Total
Cubs
(87-69)
WWLWL
9
Reds
(72-84)
LLWLW
1
1st pitch88°

Chicago pulled away early and cruised behind Peterson to a lopsided 9-1 win over a Reds team that's already shorthanded and playing out the string. The story that'll linger, though, is Alex Bregman getting drilled in the face by a foul ball and leaving the game, a scary scene for a Cubs team trying to nail down a playoff spot.

Cubs
  • Broke the game open with a 4-run third
  • 13 hits spread through the lineup
  • Bullpen held Cincinnati to one run after the 4th
  • Lost Bregman to a scary foul-ball injury
  • Already down 8 relievers before this game
  • Committed an error while cruising
Reds
  • Avoided the shutout with a run in the 4th
  • Held Chicago scoreless in five of nine innings
  • Lowder couldn't stop the bleeding after the 3rd
  • Lost Burns to the IL hours before first pitch
  • Managed just 4 hits all game

Cincinnati walked into this one even thinner than it had been. Chase Burns went on the 15-day injured list with a groin strain the same day, on top of Spencer Steer and Julian Garcia landing there earlier in the week. Chicago's bullpen has its own attrition problem, with eight relievers already shelved for the season, but a lineup still chasing October had the deeper margin heading in.

Matthew Boyd
Matthew Boyd
(9-5)·4.06 ERA
Sep 13 vs Pirates
L
5.1IP
4ER
3K
2BB
88P
09/19 Lineup
Nick Lodolo
Nick Lodolo
(3-6)·5.04 ERA
Sep 14 vs Dodgers
L
7.0IP
4ER
4K
4BB
104P
09/19 Lineup

That margin showed almost immediately. Chicago hung a 4-run third on Lowder and never let him find his footing, adding 3 more in the fifth to turn a competitive matchup into a laugher well before the middle innings were over.

The final line backed it up — 13 hits to 4 for the Cubs, and a Reds offense that managed exactly one run, in the fourth, against a Chicago staff that didn't need to be sharp, just steady. It's the kind of night a Cincinnati team with nothing left to play for is going to have more of down the stretch.

Chicago Cubs
(12)
  • Day-To-DayAlex Bregman (3B) — Bregman was removed from Sunday's game against the Reds after being struck in the face by a foul ball while in the on-deck circle, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.09/20
  • 15-Day-ILTrent Thornton (RP) — Thornton (5-4) worked around a walk to pitch a scoreless inning of relief and earn the win in Thursday's 3-2, extra-innings victory over the Blue Jays. He struck out one.09/12
  • 15-Day-ILGavin Hollowell (RP) — Hollowell (shoulder) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.09/04
  • 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell said Tuesday that the Cubs have shut down Miller's (elbow) rehab, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.09/15
  • 60-Day-ILBen Brown (RP) — Brown (neck) has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.09/03
  • 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Steele will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.09/01
  • 60-Day-ILPhil Maton (RP) — The Cubs transferred Maton (knee) to the 60-day injured list Wednesday.08/19
  • 60-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Martin (elbow) has been ruled out for the remainder of the season, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/19
  • 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Wednesday that Harvey's (triceps/shoulder) rehab hasn't come along as hoped, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/19
  • 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
  • 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
Cincinnati Reds
(6)
  • 15-Day-ILChase Burns (SP) — The Reds placed Burns on the 15-day injured list Sunday due to a right groin strain.09/20
  • 15-Day-ILJulian Garcia (RP) — The Reds placed Garcia on the 15-day injured list Friday with loose bodies in his right elbow.09/18
  • 60-Day-ILSpencer Steer (1B) — The Reds transferred Steer (wrist) to the 60-day injured list Friday.09/18
  • 60-Day-ILBlake Dunn (CF) — Dunn will have ulnar nerve transposition surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.09/15
  • 60-Day-ILMichael Toglia (1B) — The Reds transferred Toglia (shoulder) to the 60-day injured list Friday.09/04
  • 60-Day-ILHunter Greene (SP) — Greene (elbow) will be out for 12-to-18 months after undergoing his second Tommy John surgery Wednesday, Gordon Wittenmyer of The Cincinnati Enquirer reports.08/13

The scarier moment came off the scoreboard. Alex Bregman was struck in the face by a foul ball while standing in the on-deck circle and had to be removed from the game, day-to-day for now, but a jolt for a Cubs team trying to nail down its lineup for a playoff push. Craig Counsell will be watching that one closely over the next few days.

Chicago Cubs
(87-69)
09/20W@Reds9-1
09/19W@Reds5-2
09/18L@Reds4-6
09/16WvsBraves8-4
09/15LvsBraves3-6
Cincinnati Reds
(72-84)
09/20LvsCubs1-9
09/19LvsCubs2-5
09/18WvsCubs6-4
09/17LvsDodgers2-8
09/16WvsDodgers6-2

Even a laugher like this one pulled a crowd. The game's Polymarket chat drew more than double the season's typical room, and the busiest stretch came right as Chicago was closing it out. "END ITTTTT," one poster wrote as the Cubs put it away, while another, holding Chicago, asked the question every blowout eventually invites: "Should I add more money to the cubs?"

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