| Advertisement |
July 1 (UPI) -- Eugenio Suarez hit the Cincinnati Reds' third-longest home run in the Statcast era during a win against the Chicago Cubs. The slugging third baseman hit the 457-foot bomb in the first inning of the 8-6 victory Sunday at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati. The three-run shot had an exit velocity of 112 mph and left the field in 5.1 seconds, according to Statcast.
Advertisement
Nick Senzel drew a walk for the Reds to leadoff the bottom of the first frame. Star first baseman Joey Votto reached base on the next at-bat after a fielding error by Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber. Suarez walked to the plate for the third at-bat for the Reds.
He settled in against Jon Lester before working a full count against the Cubs starter. Lester huffed in a 91 mph four-seam fastball for his seventh offering of the exchange. Suarez smashed the pitch to center field for his 17th homer of the season.
The score stayed 3-0 until the bottom of the sixth inning when the Reds' Phillip Ervin plated Yasiel Puig on an RBI single. The Cubs responded with an Albert Almora RBI single in the top of the next inning. Schwarber made up for his defensive lapse with a two-run homer in the same inning.
The Reds pushed their lead to 8-5 with a four-run eighth inning. Jason Heyward helped the Cubs rally in the final frame with a three-run homer, but Chicago couldn't completely close the gap.
Suarez was 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored in the victory. Ervin and Senzel also recorded two hits for the Reds. Cincinnati starter Anthony DeSclafani earned his fifth win of the season. DeSclafani allowed five hits in six shutout innings.
Schwarber was 3-for-5 with two RBIs and a run scored for the Cubs. Lester took the loss, allowing five hits and four runs in 5.2 innings for Chicago.
The Cubs face the Pittsburgh Pirates in another National League Central clash at 7:05 p.m. Monday at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The Reds host the Brewers in a divisional matchup at 7:10 p.m. Monday in Cincinnati.
