The reports of Jason Heyward’s demise as a big-league hitter might have been premature – yeah, all 5½ months of those reports. The Reds have made some nice moves over the last season and a half to prepare for the future and a lot of their budding prospects are in the rotation but they will need to address some holes in the offseason as they have moved on from some pretty big bats in that span including Todd Frazier and Jay Bruce.
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The Cubs are 10-3 versus Cincinnati this year, outscoring the Reds by 55 runs in those contests (average of 8.1 to 3.8).
The opposite-field shot was his first homer since August 22, just his second since July 29. It also made a victor of Jason Hammel (15-9), who pitched seven solid innings. “It’s still possible that he’ll make a start or two before the year is out”, Price said. “That’s what’s good about it”.
Hammel’s performance gave the franchise four pitchers with at least 15 wins for the first time since 1935. That’s the only major goal still out there during the regular season for major league-leading Chicago after it secured the NL Central title last week. The Nationals lost Monday night.
The Cubs also are planning for their four-day break between the end of the regular season and their playoff opener on October 7, which Maddon also covered in his meeting with the hitters.
Even guys who weren’t in the meeting, such as Hammel (15-9), didn’t have to be told. Cincy has a bright future, but the future is now for the Cubs and Lester should deliver another win here. “I enjoy starting. It’s what I was used to until this year”.
“And we’re still not done yet”.
“This team continues to prove as long as you hang around for a little while they’re going to put up something”, Hammel said. “But it’s time to get locked mentally back in”.
Ventura (11-11) gave up nine hits, struck out five and walked one. A one-out triple and a single in the sixth made it 2-0.
Heyward’s seventh home run, his first since August 22, landed in center field seats and brought home Addison Russell. Addison Russell and Willson Contreras homered to tie the score in the seventh off Tim Adleman, who had limited the Cubs to two hits through five innings.
Chris Coghlan greeted Blake Wood (6-4) with a double to right.
ROYALS 8, WHITE SOX 3: In Kansas City, Missouri, Yordano Ventura picked up his first complete-game victory, and Kendrys Morales hit a three-run homer to lead Kansas City to its third win in a row.
“Nobody’s going to hand you anything”.
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During the pregame meeting, Maddon said he stressed to his hitters the importance of working on specifics, as they did during the final days of spring training, in preparation for their first playoff game October 7 at Wrigley Field. The hope is outfielder Jorge Soler (right side tightness) will be available to pinch-hit on Tuesday night and reliever Pedro Strop (knee) will throw a simulated game soon. Only the 1904 team, with five, had more 15-game winners.
