Valbuena's Triple Lifts Cubs Over Reds In 12th
CINCINNATI (AP) — Luis Valbuena hit a tiebreaking, two-run triple in the 12th inning and the Chicago Cubs avoided a rare five-game sweep in Cincinnati with a 6-4 win Thursday.
Highly regarded prospect Arismendy Alcantara singled with one out and went to second on Starlin Castro's two-out infield single. Valbuena, 0-for-4 with three strikeouts, sent a ball to deep right field off J.J. Hoover (1-6) that Skip Schumaker couldn't catch up with and was thrown out at the plate trying to stretch it into an inside-the-park home run. The out call stood after a umpire crew chief request for a replay review to make sure the new rule regarding home plate collisions wasn't violated.
Blake Parker (1-0) pitched the last two innings and the Cubs snapped their losing streak at a season-high six games.
Ryan Ludwick homered, but the Reds couldn't overcome a lineup missing more than half of its regulars and the loss of starter Homer Bailey to an injury after five innings.
First baseman Joey Votto is on the disabled list, second baseman Brandon Phillips and center fielder both were out after leaving Wednesday's game with injuries and right fielder Jay Bruce and catcher Devin Mesoraco didn't start, but the Reds still pounced on Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks for three first-inning runs.
The Reds were hoping to sweep the Cubs in a five-game series for the first time since 1931, but instead failed for the third time to extend a winning streak to six games.
Alcantara recorded his first major league hit — a two-run double in the fourth off of Homer Bailey — and drove in three runs.
Bailey left the game after feeling pain in the patellar tendon of his right knee while trying to pitch to Castro leading off the sixth. Bailey completed his motion but didn't throw the ball and left the game after meeting on the mound with manager Bryan Price and trainer Paul Lessard. Bailey allowed three runs and two hits with two walks and three strikeouts in five innings. He also hit two batters.
Hendricks was making his major league debut and looked like it, opening the game with a four-pitch walk to Chris Heisey and going 3-0 to Skip Schumaker before the right-hander threw a strike. Schumaker walked on the next pitch and Brayan Pena drove in Heisey with a double into the right-field corner. Ludwick and Ramon Santiago followed with RBI singles.
Hendricks settled down to last six innings, allowing five hits and four runs with three walks and seven strikeouts. He also hit a batter.
Chris Coghlan drove in Hendricks with a double off the left-center field wall in third inning, but Ludwick got that run back in the bottom of the inning with his sixth homer of the season, a 381-foot shot into the left field seats on a 1-0 pitch.
Alcantara scored the tying run in the eighth on Castro's single off of Jonathan Broxton.
Notes: The game was delayed briefly in the middle of the ninth inning by a bench- and bullpen-clearing altercation. ... Chapman's strikeout of pinch-hitter Justin Ruggiano leading off the ninth gave him at least one in 39 consecutive appearances, tying the major league record set by Bruce Sutter in 1977. ... The Reds promoted INF Kristopher Negron from Triple-A Louisville and optioned RHP Carlos Contreras to Louisville before the game. RHP Brett Marshall was designated for assignment to make room for Negron on the 40-man roster. ... Chicago optioned RHP Dallas Beeler to Triple-A Iowa to make room on the 25-man roster for Hendricks.
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