Schwarber’s homer in 10th gives Cubs 4-3 win over Reds
Kyle Schwarber CHICAGO — wasn’t thinking home run when he stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 10th inning Tuesday. That, he believes, was the key to success.
Schwarber hit a solo home run with one out to give the Chicago Cubs a 4-3 comeback victory over the Cincinnati Reds.
The lefty slugger stroked a 1-1 pitch from closer Raisel Iglesias (2-8) into the basket in front of the left field bleachers for his 21st homer and first career game-ending hit of any kind.
“I was actually trying to hit a single up the middle,” Schwarber said. “I didn’t want to get too big. I stayed up the middle, just got under it and hit it well enough for it to catch the basket.”
Robel Garcia and Kris Bryant also connected for the NL Central leaders, who have won six of eight.
Eugenio Suarez homered for Cincinnati, which fell to 7-4 against Chicago this season.
Steve Cishek (3-5) worked the 10th and four Cubs relievers combined for four scoreless innings.
Iglesias was pitching for the third straight day. He got five outs for a save Monday night and then the final two outs of the ninth inning Tuesday before staying in for the 10th.
“To come back tonight, he had one (bad) pitch,” Reds manager David Bell said. “It’s too bad because it shouldn’t take away from what he did and his performance tonight.
“His arm feels great. Knowing that it might cost us the next day or two, we went for it right there.”
Reds starter Anthony DeSclafani allowed three runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Cincinnati’s Derek Dietrich was hit by a pitch twice to extend his major league-leading total to 20.
Suarez opened the scoring with a solo homer in the first on a 3-2 pitch with two outs for a second straight night.
Cincinnati, though, wasn’t through. Yasiel Puig and Dietrich were hit by pitches, and Nick Senzel followed with an RBI single. Jose Peraza then hit a drive into left-center for a double. Dietrich scored easily to make it 3-0, but Senzel was cut down at the plate.
It was Chicago’s second stellar defensive play of the inning. Earlier, center fielder Albert Almora Jr. made a sliding, over-the-shoulder catch on the warning track to rob Joey Votto of an extrabase hit.
“That’s probably the best play I’ve ever had made when I was pitching, by far,” Mills said.
Garcia’s two-run shot in the second got the Cubs close and Bryant tied it with a solo homer in the sixth to chase DeSclafani, who had retired the previous seven batters.