CINCINNATI -- Almost like a race car permitted to take to the streets with a governor on the speedometer, Chase Burns is getting to finish his second professional season for the Reds -- with limitations.
For the third time in a row during the Reds’ 6-4 win over the Cubs, Burns was capped at three innings on Friday in what was his 29th start of the season. It's been part of the plan the club laid out at the end of August.
“We knew he would be OK. He’s a solid kid," manager Terry Francona said. "And we’ve talked to him a bunch about everything and he’s been a part of this all along the way."
Burns didn't have the smoothest of performances in his no-decision. He allowed two runs, four hits and two walks with four strikeouts on 67 pitches.
In his 29 starts, the 23-year-old Burns is 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 185 strikeouts. He’s at 154 1/3 innings after he worked 109 1/3 innings in the Majors and Minors last season. He has one more start remaining -- most likely vs. the Braves on Thursday -- to get him to 30.
“We thought it was important to get him this far and help set him up for next year, and also not do something that’s probably not smart to do," Francona said.
In the three truncated starts (nine innings total), Burns has allowed four runs and struck out 14 batters. Both Francona and Burns felt he's been able to hold his stuff at a high level throughout.
“It’s definitely been a long season, lots of ups and downs … but I feel like I’ve gotten over the hump and I’ve been taking care of the body," Burns said. "It’s been a lot of growth, just learning the body and kind of maneuvering every five, six days but I feel great.”
In a 31-pitch second inning for Burns, he allowed three consecutive one-out singles, with Carson Kelly's RBI single scoring Nico Hoerner. A walk to Dansby Swanson loaded the bases before Burns struck out Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki -- both with sliders -- to escape further damage.
In the third inning with two outs, Ian Happ drove Burns' 1-1 changeup to right field for a solo homer that tied the game at 2.
Burns acknowledged that the shorter starts have him trying to max out sometimes for more swings-and-misses.
“It’s hard mentally, of course, when you only have three innings," Burns said. "So you try to go out there and bring everything that you’ve got. And sometimes that can go the wrong way.”
Trevino comes through with bases loaded
Elly De La Cruz was a disruptor on the bases after drawing a leadoff walk in the sixth inning against Cubs starter Clay Holmes. Holmes' error pickoff throw to first base enabled De La Cruz to advance to third base. Following a pair of one-out walks, Eugenio Suárez delivered an RBI single to left field and Jose Trevino put the Reds ahead with a two-run single into right field.
Trevino improved to 4-for-4 with seven RBIs this season with the bases loaded.
"Just take the moment for what it is, whether you succeed in it, great. If you fail in it, it’s OK, you learn from it," Trevino said. "Been in plenty of those situations my whole career. I tend to gravitate to, and like, those situations. I don’t know why."
Stolen base attempt foiled to end the game
In the top of the ninth inning, closer Emilio Pagán issued a one-out walk to Michael Busch. With two outs and Happ batting, Busch tried to steal second base and was initially called safe. A crew-chief challenge requested by the Reds led to a review and the call was overturned for the final out of the game.
“Trevi looked at me before the pitch and kind of gave me the slide-step sign," explained Pagán, who notched his 24th save and converted his 18th consecutive save opportunity since July 5. "So I just tried to be a little bit quicker to the plate there and get him a good pitch to throw on. What a throw from Trevi.”
On the first pitch to Happ, the Reds were not defending for the steal. On the third pitch, Trevino took his shot.
"To be honest, I thought they saw me," Trevino said. "Maybe they thought I was kidding or something but as soon as I got [De La Cruz's] attention, I was like, ‘Hey, I’m gonna do it.’ And Elly kind of looked at me like, ‘What are you talking about?’ And then I gave it to [Pagán ... he] did a good job of side-stepping and put the ball in a good spot, and Elly put a good tag on him.”