Another day, a fifth straight defeat.
And another day, another wasted effort by a starting pitcher.
This time, on another wind-swept day in Wrigley Field on Saturday afternoon, it was a 3-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs after a 1-0 setback Friday.
The Reds have gone 45 innings with only three runs scored as they approach the final game of a dismal 2024 season on a slick descent on a sliding board.
The lineup is Slump Village.
Santiago Espinal is 2 for 25. Ty France is 2 for 25. Spencer Steer is 4 for 27 with nine strikeouts. TJ Friedl is 4 for 26.
Elly De La Cruz is 1 for 8 during the two shutouts with three strikeouts and made his MLB-leading 29th error Saturday.
Rhett Lowder started for the Reds and held the Cubs to no runs and three hits over five innings, lowering his earned run average to 1.17.
He has given up four runs in 25 2/3 innings and four times given up no runs. But he finishes the season 2-2 due to inefficient run support.
The Reds ran into a lovefest, probably the final appearance on the mound by Chicago’s Kyle Hendricks.
He walked from the bullpen to the mound to start the first inning to a standing ovation from the 38,180 Wrigley Field fans.
And despite a 4-12 record and the highest earned run average of any MLB pitcher with more than 20 starts (6.28), the 34-year-old right-hander pitched like Cy Young.
He held the Reds to no runs and two hits over 7 1/3 innings, his longest outing of the season.
Manager Craig Counsell permitted him to start the eighth and removed him after he retired Espinal so he could make a grand exit.
And what an exit it was. His teammates surrounded the mound applauding. He left the field to a long, long standing ovation and made a curtain all.
It was 0-0 when the Cubs came to bat in the eighth against Buck Farmer.
On Friday, the winning Cubs rally began with a leadoff double by Nico Hoerner.
On Saturday, it was Dansby Swanson pulling a leadoff double into the left-field corner, exactly where Hoerner hit his.
Left-hander Justin Wilson replaced Farmer to face left-hander Cody Bellinger. He blooped a single to center, sending Swanson to third and Bellinger took second on the throw home.
Seiya Suzuki was walked intenionally to load the bases with no outs.
Counsell sent Isaac Paredes to pinch-hit, even though he was 0 for 21 as a pinch-hitter for his career. He is now 1 for 22 after lining a run-scoring single to center for the game’s first run.
Reds interim manager Freddie Benavides brought in closer Alexis Diaz into the bases-loaded and no outs situation.
He got a force out at home on a grounder to shortstop De La Cruz, but Pete Crow-Armstrong singled to make it 2-0 and Diaz walked pinch-hitter Mike Tauchman on four pitches to force in a third run.
The Reds had few opportunities against Hendricks. Tyler Stephenson singled with two outs in the first, but Steer grounded out. Jonathan India walked with two outs in the third, but De La Cruz grounded out.
Hendricks then retired 11 straight until he walked Steer with one out and Friedl beat out a bold two-strike bunt.
But with one out and two on, France swung at the first pitch and flied to left and Jake Fraley did the same thing.
As soon as Hendricks left, Noelvi Marte greeted relief pitcher Tyson Miller with a one-out single in the eighth with the score still 0-0.
Marte had second base stolen, but overslid the base and was tagged out.
Then came the three-run Cubs eighth and the Reds were finished.
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