Bote Homers As Cubs Beat The Reds 3-2 In 10 Innings
CHICAGO (AP) — Rookie David Bote struck again, connecting in the 10th inning for another game-ending home run that sent the Chicago Cubs over the Cincinnati Reds 3-2 on Friday for their third straight victory.
Bote got behind 0-2 before driving Raisel Iglesias' next pitch deep to left field with one out.
The infielder hit a bottom-of-the-ninth, two-out grand slam that beat Washington 4-3 on Aug. 12.
Iglesias (2-2) had made seven straight scoreless appearances. Jesse Chavez (4-2), the sixth Cubs reliever, pitched a scoreless inning for the win.
Daniel Murphy homered in the eighth for NL Central-leading Chicago, and Javier Baez had a run-scoring single in the sixth. Alec Mills pitched 5 2/3 innings of one-run ball in his first major league start.
Last-place Cincinnati wasted a terrific start by Matt Harvey in its fourth loss in five games. Harvey struck out six in 5 1/3 innings after he was reportedly claimed off waivers by the contending Brewers and remained with the Reds when they couldn't work out a deal.
Bote and Albert Almora Jr. struck out swinging before Murphy drove the next pitch from Jared Hughes over the wall in right for his first homer since he was acquired in a trade with Washington on Tuesday.
It was just the third homer allowed by Hughes in 57 appearances this year.
The crowd of 37,760 roared as Murphy rounded the bases, and the veteran second baseman acknowledged the cheers by popping out of the dugout for a curtain call.
But Cincinnati responded with Eugenio Suarez's leadoff drive on a 2-2 pitch from Pedro Strop in the ninth, tying it at 2.
It was Suarez's 29th homer, extending his career high, and just the second blown save for Strop since closer Brandon Morrow was placed on the disabled list last month.
Cincinnati jumped in front on consecutive doubles by Mason Williams and Phillip Ervin leading off the second.
It looked as if Williams had connected for his second homer, but a replay review showed the ball caromed off the front of a post holding up the basket in left-center.
Williams had to go back to second, but he scored anyway when Ervin followed with a liner into the gap in left-center.
Mills then retired his next 14 batters before Scooter Gennett reached on left fielder Kyle Schwarber's error with two out in the sixth. Mills was pulled after issuing a walk to Suarez, and Randy Rosario fanned Williams for the final out of the inning.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: 1B Joey Votto (lower right leg) was scheduled for more work on Friday and Saturday. He could come off the disabled list on Sunday.
"He's still not right. If we were going to try to activate him today, if he were due today, I wouldn't be comfortable doing it," manager Jim Riggleman said. "I'm getting more and more encouragement from him and the trainers."
Cubs: OF Jason Heyward rested for the second straight day. Manager Joe Maddon said his left ankle has been bothering him. "It's something he's been really fighting through for a bit," Maddon said. 3B Kris Bryant (left shoulder inflammation) hit in the cage. Morrow (right biceps inflammation) had an MRI on Thursday. "Everything's fine," Maddon said. "He's still in his process of getting back."
UP NEXT
Reds right-hander Luis Castillo (7-10, 4.86 ERA) and Cubs left-hander Jose Quintana (10-9, 4.36 ERA) pitch on Saturday. Castillo is coming off a solid start against San Francisco, striking out nine in 6 2/3 innings in an 11-4 victory on Sunday. Quintana is winless in his last three starts, but he pitched four-hit ball into the sixth inning in a no-decision at Pittsburgh in his previous outing.
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