The Reds don’t just keep beating the Cubs. They’re beating them badly.
After a 12-2 rout on Tuesday night — to say nothing of Monday’s ho-hum 6-2 victory — Cincinnati has only furthered its dominance over its division rival. Cincinnati has now won a franchise-best and Wrigley Field record of 11 straight games at at the Friendly Confines, and 18 of 21 overall against the Cubs dating back to last year.
It’s now nine of 11 this season, with a run differential of 51-36.
“For some reason, we do like playing here in Chicago,” said third baseman Todd Frazier, who hit his first home run since April 24 on Tuesday. “Like we’re happy-go-lucky here. It’s pretty fun. It gets us back on that winning track. We’ve got two more to go, and we’re trying to get that sweep for sure.”
After a war of words following Matt Garza’s last outing against the Reds — he was displeased when Reds ace Johnny Cueto nearly hit David DeJesus in the head with a pitch — he promised the Cubs would not retaliate. Tuesday, it was certainly the Reds who got the last laugh.
Whatever it is, there’s something about Wrigley Field that seems to cure what ails the Reds. They came to the North Side after a discouraging home series loss to the first-place Cardinals over the weekend, and have outscored the Cubs, 18-4, in the first two games.
Frazier snapped a 131-at-bat homerless streak with his solo homer in the first, and Zack Cozart’s three-run shot in the eighth was his first since May 8.
In between, Joey Votto hit a two-run homer to make it 3-0 in the third and Xavier Paul hit a three-run blast as part of a six-run sixth that stretched the lead to 9-2. Jay Bruce, who went 3-for-5, also had a two-run double in the sixth.
Garza was chased without retiring a batter in that inning, and he surrendered a career-worst nine earned runs on the night.
Click here to read more of this story.
About Marion Online Sports
