Joey Votto crushed a three-run homer with two outs in the ninth to power the Reds to a 7-4 victory over the Cubs on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. Chicago had tied the game in the bottom of the eighth on Kris Bryant’s two-run home run, but Bryant’s error helped keep Cincinnati’s ninth alive.
Votto connected off Hector Rondon after Jason Bourgeois reached on an infield single and Jay Bruce was safe on a ball that went through Bryant’s legs. With the win, the Reds won their first series since July 27-29 against the Cardinals.
“It was quality pitch that I could send the right direction, and we got three runs from it,” Votto said of Rondon’s 2-0 fastball.
The Cubs had intentionally walked Votto in the fifth inning Monday, but Cubs manager Joe Maddon liked the matchup against Rondon.
“Obviously, we probably should’ve zigged when we zagged,” Maddon said. “The third fastball in a row got him. Votto is good. That’s just execution. It was obviously a good pitch. [Rondon] didn’t throw it where he wanted.”
Reds rookie Raisel Iglesias was in line for the win after striking out 10 over seven innings and hitting an RBI triple. Iglesias reached double-digit strikeouts for the third straight game, a Cincinnati rookie record, and he has fanned 33 in his past three starts. Bourgeois got the Reds started with his first leadoff home run, hitting the second pitch from Jason Hammel into the left-field bleachers.
The Cubs totaled three hits off Iglesias, including solo homers by Tommy La Stella in the third and Anthony Rizzo in the fourth. Bryant then tied the game at 4 with a two-run blast with two outs in the eighth off J.J. Hoover, his 22nd home run of the season. Bryant now leads the team and all Major League rookies with 84 RBIs.
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