Cincinnati Reds vs Chicago Cubs Match Player Stats On Sep 08, 2022

Alejo Lopez delivered a game-tying RBI triple in the ninth inning, then scored on Jonathan India's two-out single as the visiting Cincinnati Reds overcame a rough defensive day from center fielder TJ Friedl to beat the Chicago Cubs 4-3 on Thursday.

India had three hits for Cincinnati (55-80), which took two of three at Chicago to win a second straight series. After Chicago's Seiya Suzuki hit a tiebreaking solo homer off Alexis Diaz (6-2) in the eighth, Nick Senzel drew a walk off Mark Leiter Jr. (2-7) to open the ninth and scored when Lopez rolled the ball into the right-field gap.

India followed with a single to left that put Cincinnati ahead for the first time. Ian Gibaut recorded his first career save as the Reds won back-to-back games for the first time since Aug. 26-27.

Suzuki and Nico Hoerner each had a pair of hits for the Cubs (57-80), who have lost 13 of 18. Chicago starter Adrian Sampson was solid while yielding five hits and one run, on a homer to Kyle Farmer that ended his day with nobody out in the seventh.

Meanwhile, Cincinnati starter Luis Cessa did not allow a hit until the bottom of the fifth, when Hoerner led off with a drive that Friedl had in his glove but couldn't hold on to. It was ruled a triple and P.J. Higgins followed with a sacrifice fly for a 1-0 Chicago lead.

With two outs in the sixth, Suzuki lined a drive to right-center field that Friedl appeared to be waiting on, but ended up misplaying due to the sun. Suzuki, credited with a double, then scored on Franmil Reyes' single to right.

Friedl also lost Hoerner's short fly ball in the sun in the seventh, which ended up as a double. However, the Cubs were not able to take advantage of that situation and stranded runners at second and third.

That proved to be costly for Chicago as Cincinnati leveled the contest at 2-2 in the top of the eighth when Rowan Wick issued a bases-loaded walk to rookie Spencer Steer.

--Field Level Media