Mahle fans 11, Suarez drives in three as Reds hold on for 6-5 win over Cubs
CINCINNATI (AP) — Eugenio Suárez and Jesse Winker homered, helping Tyler Mahle and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Chicago Cubs 6-5 on Friday night.
Suárez went 3 for 3 and drove in three runs, taking another step forward after slumping for much of the season. Winker had two hits and scored twice.
Mahle (1-1) shook off a slow start on his way to 11 strikeouts over 6 2/3 innings. The right-hander pitched shutout ball after surrendering solo drives by Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber in the first.
.@dgravy32 takes a look at how @tylermahle adjusted after allowing two early home runs.#TakeTheCentral pic.twitter.com/4ISaXaB9D9
— FOX Sports Cincinnati (@FOXSportsCincy) August 29, 2020
NL Central-leading Chicago dropped its third consecutive game. Willson Contreras and Jason Heyward homered in the ninth, but Raisel Iglesias got two outs for his fourth save.
Cincinnati went ahead to stay with two runs in the fourth. Winker hit a tying drive for his ninth homer, and Matt Davidson made it 3-2 with an RBI single against Kyle Hendricks (3-4).
Suárez added a two-run single with two out in the fifth, and Freddy Galvis hit an opposite-field drive to right on Kyle Ryan’s first pitch of eighth for his sixth homer.
Geno joins @JeffPiecoro for some good postgame @Reds victory vibes. And he makes sure to give a shout out to @JimDayTV! ?#TakeTheCentral pic.twitter.com/9HANvQKNnu
— FOX Sports Cincinnati (@FOXSportsCincy) August 29, 2020
Hendricks allowed five runs and a season-high 10 hits in six innings. The right-hander also lost at Cincinnati on July 29, surrendering six runs in 4 1/3 innings.
Rizzo hit Mahle’s second pitch of the game deep into the right-field seats for his sixth homer of the season. It was his 19th at Great American Ball Park and No. 29 overall against the Reds, two more than he has against any other team.
Schwarber, who grew up about 25 miles north of Cincinnati in Middletown, added an opposite-field shot to left for his seventh homer of the season and ninth of his career in Cincinnati.
Suárez led off the second with his seventh homer, a fly ball that barely cleared the fence in left. He has homered in two straight games.
Those good vibes are paying off. Geno has four homers in six games!#TakeTheCentral pic.twitter.com/g5rBRKJfW3
— FOX Sports Cincinnati (@FOXSportsCincy) August 28, 2020
TRAINER’S ROOM
Cubs: RHP Dan Winkler was hit by a comebacker off the bat of Nick Castellanos in the seventh, but the reliever stayed in the game after a brief visit from a trainer.
Reds: LHP Wade Miley was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left shoulder strain.
UP NEXT
Cubs: RHP Yu Darvish (5-1) goes for his sixth consecutive win in the opener of a doubleheader Saturday. The team hadn’t announced a Game 2 starter.
Reds: RHP Trevor Bauer (3-1) will make his 200th career major league appearance when he starts the first game of the doubleheader. The team hadn’t announced a Game 2 starter.
