CHICAGO- I chopped it up with Addison Russell before yesterday's game and he was extremely eager to return to his role as an everyday player. "I'm just waiting on my opportunities to take full advantage of the moment," he said. I told him to focus on the task at hand and he'd have a breakout game in a start this series versus the Reds. He was 3-4 with a HR and 2 rbi along with great defense in the Cubs 8-6 comeback win over Cincy this afternoon. After the game, he praised the fans & the energy inside of Wrigley Field. "The energy is great and the fans are the best. It's still a process for me. I'm just gonna stay the course, control what I can control & keep hitting those small goals."
Final Score- Cubs 8 Reds 6
Summary- The Reds got on the board first in the top of 2 behind a Tucker Barnhart 2 run HR into the basket in left field. The Cubs got 1 back in the bottom of 2 as Albert Almora Jr aka #SAUCE hit his 6th HR of the season to cut the Reds lead to 2-1. Addison Russell aka #Addie gave the Cubs a 3-2 lead in the bottom of 4 with a 2 run HR to right center...his 2nd of the year. #BigFolks Anthony Rizzo added 2 more with a 2 rbi double to the right center field gap! Cincy got back on the board in the top of 5 as Joey Votto scored on a Eugenio Suarez single to make it a 5-3 Cubs lead. Yasiel Puig then hit a solo HR onto Waveland Avenue to cut the Cubs lead to 1. Jason Heyward got 1 right back for the Cubs in the bottom of 5 with a solo HR (his 7th this year) to make it 6-4 Cubs. Reds rookie Nick Senzel's rbi single in the top of 6 cut the Cubs lead back to 6-5. They tied the game at 6 in the top of 8 with a Derek Dietrich solo HR. David Bote aka #NewMONEY earned that $$ by coming through in the clutch with an rbi double in the bottom of 8 to give the Cubs a 7-6 lead. #BamBam Kyle Schwarber added some insurance with a sac fly that scored Russell to make it an 8-6 ballgame.
Yu Darvish had his longest outing in Cubbie blue going 7 innings giving up 6 runs while scattering 12 hits with 2 walks & 5 strikeouts. He threw 108 pitches/82 for strikes. He gave up a game tying HR to Dietrich & a single to Jose Iglesias before he was pulled. "After the 7th inning I was a little frustrated but the team won so I feel good. I feel like my guys trust me now," Darvish said.
Player(s) of the game- Addison Russell....3-4 with a HR & 2 rbi
Play of the game- David Bote with the rbi double in the bottom of 8 to give the Cubs a 7-6 lead
Quote of the game- "The last pitch I threw to Puig I tried to throw it as hard as I could and didn't know where it was going." - Yu Darvish struck him out on a 97 mph fastball in the top of 7 to end the inning
Next game - 5/26 v Reds
Jose Quintana (4-3) v Tanner Roark (3-3) first pitch 1:20 pm
The Cubs are 28-13 in their last 41 games with a 2.5 game lead in the NL Central after starting the year 2-7 & 5.5 games back in the division.