Cincinnati Reds @ Chicago Cubs
Michael Conforto comes through in a pinch as streaking Cubs rally in 9th for 5-4 win over Reds
CHICAGO -- — Pinch-hitter Michael Conforto capped a two-run ninth inning with a solo homer, and the Chicago Cubs rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 5-4 on Monday night for their sixth straight victory.
Seiya Suzuki hit a 455-foot home run for the NL Central leaders, who improved to 23-12 with their 16th win in 19 games. Chicago has won 12 in a row at home, the team’s best streak at Wrigley Field since a 14-game run in 2008.
The Reds took a 4-3 lead in the eighth when Spencer Steer lined an RBI single against Ben Brown, only to drop their fourth straight.
Pete Crow-Armstrong tripled leading off the ninth against Emilio Pagán (2-1) on a ball that popped out of center fielder Dane Myers’ glove as he tried to make a leaping catch against the wall. Crow-Armstrong scored one out later on Nico Hoerner’s sacrifice fly.
Conforto, batting for Matt Shaw, then drove a 3-2 pitch to left-center and was mobbed by happy teammates as he crossed home plate.
The teams waited out a delay of 1 hour, 40 minutes at the start because of a thunderstorm after the game was initially moved up a half hour.
The Cubs trailed 3-0 in the fourth before Suzuki tied it with a three-run drive off Chase Petty, Chicago’s longest homer of the season.
Edward Cabrera went six innings, allowing three runs and nine hits. He gave up a homer to JJ Bleday leading off the third and a two-run drive to Ke’Bryan Hayes in the fourth.
Ryan Rolison (2-0) worked the ninth.
In his first major league start this season, Petty gave up three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. The Reds recalled the right-hander from Triple-A Louisville prior to the game.
Cubs RHP Jameson Taillon (2-1, 4.41 ERA) looks to win his second straight start, while LHP Andrew Abbott (1-2, 5.97) gets the ball for the Reds. Taillon tossed seven solid innings at San Diego last week.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
CHC lead 1-0
Game Information
- Umpires:
- Home Plate Umpire - Manny Gonzalez
- First Base Umpire - Jacob Metz
- Second Base Umpire - Tom Hanahan
- Third Base Umpire - Scott Barry
2026 National League Central Standings
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | STRK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago | 23 | 12 | .657 | - | W6 |
| St. Louis | 21 | 14 | .600 | 2 | W1 |
| Cincinnati | 20 | 15 | .571 | 3 | L4 |
| Pittsburgh | 19 | 16 | .543 | 4 | W3 |
| Milwaukee | 18 | 16 | .529 | 4.5 | L2 |

