CINCINNATI -- Kris Bryant cracked a smile when asked about Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward's catch that robbed a home run from the Reds' Nick Senzel in the seventh inning Sunday. Bryant found it amusing because he had been playing right until manager Joe Maddon shuffled a few defenders one inning earlier.
"I was a little bummed I wasn't out there," Bryant joked. "I probably would've missed it. I'm not nearly the outfielder [Heyward] is."
Much to the frustration of Senzel, Heyward did not miss, pulling back a potential two-run home run, which could have made the Reds' 8-6 win even more lopsided. As it happens, Senzel had a hit taken away by Heyward with three highlight-reel plays throughout the series at Great American Ball Park this weekend.
In the first inning on Friday night, Heyward chased down a line drive over the right-center-field gap, making a lunging grab on a play that had a 60 percent catch probability. In the first inning Saturday, Senzel ripped a pitch up the right-field line, where Heyward sprinted back and made a jumping catch on the run.
Heyward saved his best for last.
In the seventh inning of the series finale, Senzel launched a pitch from reliever Rowan Wick deep into right field. Heyward driffted back to the wall, timing his leap perfectly to snare the baseball before it could find the first row of the right-field seats. As he reached first, Senzel removed his helmet and looked confounded by Heyward's latest theft.
"I was getting tired of hitting it to right field," Senzel said. "But they kept throwing it where I have to hit it there. I tried to burn him -- that didn't work. I tried to hit it over the fence -- that didn't work. I tried to hit it in the gap -- that didn't work. He's one of the best defenders to ever play in the outfield."
Asked about the handful of plays against Senzel, Heyward smirked.
"He told me, 'Stop catching it,'" Heyward said. "I said, 'Hit it somewhere else.'"
Heyward also ripped a three-run homer to right field -- out of reach of Reds outfielder Yasiel Puig -- for his third homer in as many games in Cincinnati. Over his past 30 games for the Cubs, the veteran outfielder has turned in a .327/.387/.574 slash line with six homers, five doubles and 17 RBIs.
"His whole game [has been impressive]," Maddon said. "The catch yesterday, today, his at-bats -- against righties and lefties -- it doesn't matter. He's just playing really good baseball right now."
As well as he played, Heyward said there was disappointment in dropping two out of three to the Reds.
"It's fun to help. It's fun to contribute," Heyward said. "It's fun to keep the game close, or whatever. But, you want to win. That's the only reason we're out here playing. But, it is fun to get action in right field. It doesn't happen all the time."