CHICAGO — Wade Miley was terrific, and Kyle Farmer made a pair of clutch plays. Jonathan India and Nick Castellanos had a couple of big swings.
They all stepped up on a night when Cincinnati desperately needed a win.
Miley pitched seven effective innings, Castellanos homered and the Reds cooled off the Chicago Cubs with a 4-3 victory Tuesday.
Cincinnati had dropped seven of nine to lose ground in the NL playoff race. It began the day one game back of San Diego for the second wild card.
“We needed that as a squad,” Miley said. “We’ve been scuffling a little bit of late.”
The Reds bounced back behind Miley (12-5), who was coming off one of his worst performances during an impressive season. The veteran left-hander allowed one run and five hits, struck out eight and walked none.
Miley, tagged for five runs and 12 hits over four innings during a 5-4 loss to the Cardinals last week, improved to 6-1 with a 2.67 ERA in his last 11 starts.
“He did what he’s done all year,” manager David Bell said.
Willson Contreras, Rafael Ortega and Ian Happ homered for Chicago, which had won a season-high seven straight. Happ, who finished with three hits, is batting .367 (33 for 90) in his last 24 games.
“We were right there until the end,” said bench coach Andy Green, who is running the Cubs while manager David Ross is away from the team following a positive COVID-19 test.
The Reds were clinging to a 2-1 lead before they pushed across two runs in the eighth. India, who homered in the first, doubled and scored on Mike Moustakas’ two-out single off Manuel Rodríguez. Farmer tacked on another RBI single.
Ortega and Happ connected in the bottom half against Michael Lorenzen, but Mychal Givens worked the ninth for his sixth save.
Right before Happ’s 20th homer, Farmer robbed Frank Schwindel of a hit when the shortstop ran back into short center field for a terrific catch.
“That was unbelievable,” India said.
It reminded Farmer of a tragic moment from his college career at the University of Georgia, when outfielders Johnathan Taylor and Zach Cone collided while chasing a line drive against Florida State in 2011.
The 31-year-old Farmer said Taylor has been paralyzed from the neck down since the play.
“I grew up playing with J.T. and Zach since we were like 10, so I know them really well,” Farmer said. “So that play right there means a lot to make. I kind of overcame a big step mentally there. It was difficult physically and mentally.”
India drove Adrian Sampson’s third pitch into the bleachers in center for his fifth leadoff homer and No. 19 overall in his first big league season. After Tyler Naquin bounced to third, Castellanos connected for his 27th homer.
India’s homer traveled an estimated 422 feet, and Castellanos’ drive went even further at 446 feet — landing on a green roof in center. But then Sampson (0-2) settled down nicely, allowing six hits over a season-high five innings in his second start of the year.
“They just jumped on some pitches early, but I thought I limited the damage after that,” Sampson said.
The Cubs got one back on Contreras’ 18th homer, a two-out drive to left-center in the third. They almost got the tying run in the sixth, but the Reds caught a break.
With two out and Happ on first, Patrick Wisdom’s drive to left-center got lost in the ivy for a ground-rule double. That meant Happ had to go back to third, and Matt Duffy tapped back to Miley for the final out of the inning.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: OF Jesse Winker (intercostal strain) had to slow down for a day or two after he felt “a little something,” according to Bell. But the All-Star slugger could appear in some minor league games within the week. “It’s the last step, really. It’s just being able to swing, take full swings,” Bell said. “That’s a big step with that injury.”
Cubs: RF Jason Heyward was scratched due to right hamstring cramping. Wisdom moved from left field to right with Heyward out, and Alfonso Rivas entered the lineup in left. … OF Michael Hermosillo is dealing with some left forearm soreness. He entered as a pinch-runner in the ninth. … Green said INF Nico Hoerner (right oblique strain) is doing well after working out Monday. “He’s still got a few more hurdles to clear before I think the medical staff feels good about him being out in a competitive setting again,” Green said.
UP NEXT
Right-handers Vladimir Gutierrez (9-6, 4.17 ERA) and Alec Mills (6-6, 4.25) pitch Wednesday in the series finale. Gutierrez has dropped his last two starts for Cincinnati, allowing eight earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. Mills is 2-2 with a 3.66 ERA over his last six outings for Chicago.
Twins 3, Indians 0
CLEVELAND — One of the Twins’ expectant fathers delivered.
Hours after manager Rocco Baldelli’s wife gave birth, Brent Rooker homered as he awaits a call from home for an arriving baby and Minnesota beat Cleveland 3-0 on Tuesday night, spoiling Indians starter Aaron Civale’s return from injury.
Rooker’s 421-foot shot in the seventh off reliever Alex Young made it 2-0.
“I was looking for something up in the zone and got it,” Rooker said.
John Gant (5-9) pitched five solid innings to get his first win since joining the Twins, who beat the Indians for the sixth time in seven games.
“The boys scratched and clawed and made some plays tonight, and pushed some runs across,” said Gant, who came over from St. Louis in a July 30 trade. “All in all a good team win.”
Gant (5-9) didn’t allow a run on three hits. The right-hander, who had been winless since May 26 — a span of 27 appearances — had to survive a scare in the third inning when Indians slugger Franmil Reyes flew out to the base of the wall in left-center with the bases loaded.
Gant later found out the deep shot came during a grand slam promotion the Indians were running that inning.
“It was nice to not give that one up,” said Gant, who admitted he wasn’t sure when it left Reyes’ bat. “I didn’t think he got it full on, but he’s a big ol’ boy so he doesn’t have to get it full on for it to go.
“I didn’t really know what was going to happen. I was hanging on the edge of my seat if you will.”
Four Twins relievers finished the combined seven-hitter — Minnesota pitchers had 13 strikeouts — with Alex Colomé working the ninth for his 13th save in his fourth straight game.
“We did tell him tomorrow he can watch the game,” joked interim manager Bill Evers.
The Indians failed to homer for the first time in 20 games, ending the longest streak in club history.
Cleveland’s loss was softened by Civale’s comeback outing, his first start since he sprained his right middle finger in a June 21 start against the Cubs. He gave up just one run and three hits in 4 2/3 innings.
The 26-year-old Civale (10-3), who was leading the majors in wins when he got hurt, was sharp despite the long layoff. He was in command until the Twins scored in the fifth on a two-out RBI single by Andrelton Simmons.
Civale was determined to pitch again in 2021 for personal reasons as well as help the Indians, who have stayed competitive while also being without ace Shane Bieber (shoulder) for nearly three months.
“It’s awesome to be back out there,” he said. “Pitching at Progressive Field again, it’s always a delight. I don’t think you ever take it for granted, but when you have it taken away from you, you appreciate it that much more.”
BABY BALDELLI
Baldelli remained away from the team following the birth of his daughter. Louisa Sunny arrived early Tuesday.
Evers received a text from Baldelli after the manager’s wife, Allie, delivered the couple’s first child.
“It was awesome,” said the 67-year-old Evers, who is retiring after the season. “It brings tears to my eyes knowing he texted me right after the baby was born.”
Evers expects Baldellli to return Friday, when the Twins open a series at home with Kansas City.
FRANCONA RECOVERING
Indians manager Terry Francona is recovering from toe surgery, his second operation since stepping aside in July.
The 62-year-old Francona previously had his hip replaced. The procedure Tuesday was to fix his left big toe, which became infected during the offseason and required him to wear a walking boot for months.
TO (NOT) CATCH A THIEF
The Indians have stolen 29 straight bases, the longest successful streak since steals started being tracked in 1920.
It’s the longest run in the majors since Boston swiped 40 straight from Aug. 2013 to April 2014.
SALUTING JETER
On the eve of Derek Jeter’s Hall of Fame induction, both interim managers reflected on the Yankees shortstop’s stellar career.
Evers managed Jeter in the early 1990s, when he played in the Gulf Coast League.
“He was a little homesick,” Evers said. “At the end of the year he had to get a couple of base hits just to hit over .200.”
Indians acting manager DeMarlo Hale coached against Jeter in the AL East. He always appreciated his competitiveness and class.
“When they say that he’s The Captain, it says a lot about him because he represents so much,” Hale said. “Winner.”
UP NEXT
Twins: Rookie RHP Joe Ryan (0-1, 5.40 ERA) makes his second career start as the teams continue their four-game series. Ryan lost to the Cubs last week, allowing three runs and three hits in five innings.
Indians: RHP Triston McKenzie (4-5, 4.62) has won three straight starts, giving up just two runs and five hits in 21 innings.
.neFileBlock {
margin-bottom: 20px;
}
.neFileBlock p {
margin: 0px 0px 0px 0px;
}
.neFileBlock .neFile {
border-bottom: 1px dotted #aaa;
padding-bottom: 5px;
padding-top: 10px;
}
.neFileBlock .neCaption {
font-size: 85%;
}
