CINCINNATI (AP) — The MLB trade deadline has come and gone, and time and chances are slipping away for the Cubs to make any kind of playoff charge this season.
In a three-game series in Cincinnati between teams trying to remain on the fringes of the National League Wild Card race, the Reds have kept a glimmer of hope alive while the Cubs have slid further down the standings.
In the second game of the series Tuesday night, Cubs ace left-hander Justin Steele never had his command from the get-go, Cincinnati’s Santiago Espinal extended his hit streak to 10 games with a two-run homer in the second inning, and the Reds held on to beat the Cubs, 6-3, to clinch the series win.
The Red won Monday’s opener, 7-1. The teams conclude the series Wednesday night at Great American Ballpark, with the Cubs trying to avoid a sweep. It also concludes Chicago’s six-game road trip to Kansas City and Cincinnati.
The Cubs then come back to Wrigley Field for a seven-game homestand, beginning with a four-game series against the Cardinals from Thursday through Sunday.
Entering play Wednesday, the Cubs are in last place in the NL Central, now two games behind the Reds for fourth and 11 back of the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. The third and final NL Wild Card spot is now fading from any realistic reach, too, with the Cubs now seven games back of that and behind five other teams.
Steele struggles
Tuesday’s start was rough for Steele, who went six innings, allowing five runs and six hits while striking out seven. His season ERA jumped to 3.38 as he fell to 2-5 on the season.
The Reds jumped out to a 5-0 lead with two runs in the first and three in the second. Steele managed to pitch four scoreless innings after that, working around Espinal’s leadoff double in the fourth, but the Cubs were in too big of a hole.
“(Steele) didn’t have good command,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “He didn’t get any easy outs.”
TJ Friedl drove in two runs with a first-inning base hit, Tyler Stephenson also had an RBI as part of the three-run second inning, and Spencer Steer drove in another with a double in the eighth.
In good news for the Cubs, Cody Bellinger came off the 10-day injured list — he had a fractured middle finger — to hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning. Reds reliever Fernando Cruz uncorked a wild pitch with the bases loaded that let the other Chicago run score in the seventh after Bellinger’s second hit of the game loaded the bases.
Tony Santillan got the start for the Reds because the scheduled starter, Frankie Montas, was traded to Milwaukee earlier in the day. Seven Reds pitchers combined to hold the Cubs to three runs and seven hits.
Nick Martinez (5-5) pitched four scoreless innings to get the win. Alexis Díaz pitched the ninth for his 21st save in 23 chances.
With Montas gone, Martinez might have made a case for moving into the starting rotation.
“I’m fighting to get into the playoffs,” the 33-year-old right-hander said. “So that’s where my focus is. And if (starting) is where they think we have our best chances, yeah, put me in the rotation. If they think the role that I have now (gives us) our best chances to make the playoffs, lets rock’n’roll.”
The 29-year-old Espinal had a four-hit game for the first time in his career and came within a triple of hitting for the cycle. Stephenson had three hits for the Reds.
“I’m really happy,” said Espinal, who was picked up in the offseason as a utility player after four seasons in Toronto. “I was really happy when I was struggling, too. You have to accept those struggles, too.
“Baseball is a hard game. I just have to keep the preparation going.”
Up next
The Reds go for a series sweep when they send left-hander Nick Lodolo (8-3, 3.45 ERA) against Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks (2-9, 6.95) on Wednesday night.
First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 p.m.