Suarez, Reds stun Cubs in series opener
Eugenio Suarez hit a two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning to give the visiting Cincinnati Reds their first lead of the game, and the bullpen made it hold for a 6-5 win against the Chicago Cubs in the opener of their three-game series on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.
Willson Contreras gave the Cubs a 5-4 lead in the eighth with a two-out, pinch-hit RBI single on an 0-2 pitch from David Hernandez (1-2).
Raisel Iglesias pitched the ninth for his 11th save.
Steve Cishek (1-2) was three outs from his fifth save for Chicago, but walked Joey Votto to start the inning before Suarez hit his towering blast to center.
Yasiel Puig had two hits, including a two-run homer, and drove in three runs for the Reds. Votto had two hits and scored twice and Jesse Winker contributed two hits.
Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant had two hits each for the Cubs, including home runs. Kyle Schwarber also homered for Chicago.
Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks allowed three runs and six hits in six innings. He struck out nine and walked one.
Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani had his shortest outing of the season, going 3 2/3 innings and allowing four runs and five hits while striking out two and walking three. He was tagged for three home runs for the second straight game.
Cubs reliever Brad Brach, who blew the save in his last outing against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, inherited a 4-3 lead in the seventh inning. He retired the first two batters before giving up three straight hits, the last an RBI double by Winker to tie the score at 4-4.
After Schwarber led off the first with a home run, DeSclafani retired eight in a row before walking Schwarber with two outs in the third. Bryant and Rizzo followed with back-to-back homers to make it 4-0.
Hendricks had retired the first 10 batters before Votto doubled with one out in the fourth and scored on Puig's two-out single to cut the deficit to 4-1.
Winker singled to start the sixth inning and Puig followed with a two-run blast to center field to cut the lead to 4-3.
--Field Level Media
