CHICAGO -- Friday marked the start of a gauntlet-like remaining schedule for the Reds -- the toughest in MLB -- with 25 consecutive games against opponents currently in playoff position. Plus, the final three games are against the still-contending Blue Jays.
Not surprising, but that was not an issue on manager Terry Francona's mind ahead of Friday's afternoon game vs. the Cubs.
“One, we’re going to play until they send us home," Francona said. "And two, our best way to do that is by playing today. That’s just the best way to be productive.”
Productive the Reds were. For the second-straight game, they pulled off a nice comeback and enjoyed another big rally -- with five runs in the top of the sixth inning -- before hanging on to a 10-8 win over Chicago at Wrigley Field.
On Wednesday when trailing the Giants, 9-3, they used a seven-run ninth-inning rally to take a 10-9 win. Those types of offensive outbursts have been craved by a Cincinnati club that scored one or zero runs in nine of its previous 18 games entering Friday.
Cincinnati trailed, 3-0, after two innings but chipped away with one run in the fourth inning on Héctor Rodríguez's two-out RBI single to right-center field before adding another in the fifth on Sal Stewart's 29th home run of the season. It was a solo drive to the bleachers in left-center field off starting pitcher David Peterson.
In the big sixth inning against reliever Trent Thornton, Jose Trevino tied the game with a one-out solo homer to left-center field. Following a Rodríguez walk and two-out single to right field by Elly De La Cruz, Stewart grounded to the hole at shortstop and beat the throw for an infield single and a go-ahead RBI -- his 102nd of the season.
Up next, Tyler Stephenson hit Thornton's 1-2 fastball to left-center field for a three-run homer that gave the Reds a four-run lead. Two more runs crossed in the seventh inning on De La Cruz's two-out, two-run single to left field to make it 9-3.
The Reds have won each of starting pitcher Rhett Lowder's last three starts after he worked five innings of three-run ball on six hits while striking out five with no walks against Chicago.
Cincinnati's bullpen nearly gave the game away as the Cubs scored one run in the seventh inning and another four in the bottom of the eighth. That included Pedro Ramírez's three-run homer to right field off Tejay Antone and Seiya Suzuki's RBI double against Sam Moll.
Closer Emilio Pagán pitched the ninth inning and recorded his 18th save after he was given an insurance run thanks to TJ Friedl’s solo homer in the top of the frame. Friedl returned to the club Friday after he was not claimed following his placement on outright waivers.