Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (07/28/21): Cubs 2, Reds 8 – Votto Homers Twice as Cincy Pounds Cubs

After Monday’s dramatic walk-off victory and Tuesday’s 7-4 loss, the Cubs’ home series against the Reds was tied at one game apiece. A crowd of around 75% capacity filed into the Friendly Confines for might have been their last chance to see their World Series heroes in action before Friday’s trade deadline, but they left disappointed.

Zach Davies took the mound for the Northsiders and was unable to fool Joey Votto, who blasted two home runs. Votto has homered seven times in his last seven games, five of which have come in the last three games at Wrigley. Tyler Stephenson added two more RBI for Cincy while the Cubs offense was unable to bring home any runners until the game was well out of reach. (Box score).

Why the Cubs Lost

Timely hitting proved elusive for the home team yet again. The Cubs had eight hits but only one RBI. They were 2-for-8 with runners in scoring position.

Key Moments

The Cubs threatened early when Patrick Wisdom stepped in to face Reds starter Tyler Mahle following Anthony Rizzo‘s two-out single. Wisdom’s line drive landed in the outfield ivy for a ground-rule double, which kept Rizzo at third base. After Matt Duffy‘s walk, Jason Heyward lined out to Aristides Aquino in right field to retire the side.
Votto led off the 2nd inning with a home run to give the Reds a 1-0 lead, which they never relinquished.

Stats that Matter

• Mahle had a quality start: 6.0 IP; 5 H; 0 R; 1 BB; 2 K.
• Votto’s seven home runs over the last seven games account for over one-third of his 2021 production (19).
• Pinch hitter David Bote had a perfect line: 1-1; 1 R; 1 RBI.
• Former Cub Justin Wilson quieted Cubs batters, including Rizzo, in his Reds debut: 1.0 IP; 0 R; 1 BB; 1 K.

Bottom Line

This was another disappointing loss when fans are desperate to experience a few more happy moments with the current iteration of the team before the inevitable transition to the next phase of Cubs baseball. The Reds can secure a series victory with another win on Thursday.

On Deck

The series finale is scheduled for 1:20pm CT on Thursday as Luis Castillo (4-10, 4.20 ERA) will face Alec Mills (4-3, 4.55 ERA) in a game that can be heard on 670 The Score or watched on Marquee Sports Network.