#6 2016 World Champion Chicago Cubs v. #27. 1919 World Champion Cincinnati Reds
1977 Yankees
2017 Dodgers
1909 Cubs
1970 Orioles
1998 Yankees
5 teams have advanced to the Elite 8 of this 128 team tournament. 3 spots left.
The 1970 Orioles will take on the 1998 Yankees; the 1909 Cubs will take on the winner of Region 6.
The top two remaining seeds in Region 6 meet in this first semi-final; the best of the modern Cubs teams, the one that won the World Series takes on the last Reds team standing, the one which beat the Black Sox.
Cubs 103-58 (Pythag 107-54) Mgr. Joe Maddon (2nd NL MoY)
1st in NL Central
d. Giants 3-1 in NLDS
d. Dodgers 4-2 in NLCS (MVP-Javier Baez/Jon Lester)
d. Indians 4-3 in World Series (MVP-Ben Zobrist)
d. #123 1955 Yankees 2-0 (MVP-Jorge Soler/Addison Russell)
d. #70 1998 Braves 3-2 (MVP-Kris Bryant)
All-Stars SP Jake Arrieta, 3B Kris Bryant (NL MVP) OF Dexter Fowler, SP Jon Lester (2nd NL Cy Young) 1B Anthony Rizzo (4th NL MVP) SS Addison Russell, 2B Ben Zobrist,
Won NL Central by 17.5. 103 win most for Cubs since 1910. First team to win World Series games 6-7 on road since ’79.
Reds 96-44 (Pythag 92-48) Mgr. Pat Moran
Won NL Pennant
d. White Sox 5-3 in World Series
d. #102 1945 Cubs 2-0 (MVP Larry Kopf)
d. #38 2017 Indians 3-2 (MVP-Pat Duncan, Slim Sallee)
Hall of Famers: Edd Roush
Black Sox scandal World Series. Reds .686 winning percentage their highest in 20th C.
Reds-Pat Moran
CF Roush (26) (LH) 146 4.9
3B Groh (29) 149 5.5
C Wingo (28) (LH) 114 2.5
1B Daubert (35) (LH) 104 1.7
2B Rath (31) (LH) 95 4.3
SS Kopf (28) (SH) 94 1.9
RF Neale (27) (LH) 92 1
LF Duncan (25) 116
P Ruether (25) (LH) 154 3.9
Bench
RF Cueto (27) 87
C Rariden (31) 70
LF Magee (34) 83
LF Bressler (24) 88
SP2 Sallee (34) (LH) 136 3.8
SP3 Eller (24) 117
RF platoon. LF will be whomever the hot bat is. The RH Fisher will be the 4th starter if the Reds advance.
Cubs-Joe Maddon
CF Fowler (30) (SH) 123 3.9
RF Zobrist (35) (SH) 121 3.8
3B Bryant (24) 146 7.6
1B Rizzo (26) (LH) 143 6.3
C Contreras (24) 122 2.2
LF Soler (24) 103 .6
2B Baez (23) 94 2.3
SS Russell (22) 94 3.9
P Hendricks (26) 196 5.5
Bench
C Montero (32) (LH) 82
C Ross (39) 106
LF Coghlan (31) (LH) 109
LF Szczur (28) 88
3B LaStella (27) (LH) 103
RF Heyward (26) (LH) 68
CF Almora (22) 99
SP2 Lester (32) (LH) 171 5.5
SP3 Arrieta (30) 135 5.1
Soler/Coghlan is straight platoon. Montero could catch against a RH if Contreras doesnt hit. If Baez doesn't hit, Zobrist could move to 2nd and Heyward might play against a RH. Lackey will get the call as the 4th starter if the Cubs advance.
Lineups:
C-Push
1B-Rizzo
2B-Rath
SS-Russell
3B-Bryant
LF-Push
CF-Roush
RF-Zobrist
SP1-Hendricks
SP2-Lester
SP3-Arrieta
Pen-Cubs
WAR: Cubs 8 Reds 2, Cubs are seed favorites, big WAR favorites given a substantial pitching advantage and they have the best position player (Bryant). Cubs are the biggest favorites we've seen in the Regional semis.
GAME ONE
1st: Wrigley Field. Game One. First regional semi-final for Region 6. 26 year old RH Kyle Hendricks on the mound. 16-8, 2.13. It's Hendricks' third big league season; he leads MLB in ERA and ERA+. 3rd in the Cy Young. He gives up a 1 out single to Heinie Groh, that's it.
1st: 25 year old lefty Dutch Ruether for the Reds. 19-6, 1.82. Led the league in winning %. Ben Zobrist works a one out walk. That's it.
2nd: Jake Daubert singles to left center. The Reds first baseman is 35, it's his first year in Cincinnati after 9 in Brooklyn. 6 years prior, he was MVP. Daubert led the league in sacrifices. Hendricks gets two, then Greasy Neale singles to left center - Daubert scores and it's the Reds who open the scoring. Reds 1 Cubs 0
2nd: Jorge Soler singles with one away. Soler getting the start in left against the LH Ruether. Soler's 24, his third year in the league. He's a part timer. 3 years from now he'll lead the AL in homers with the Royals. That's it.
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: 1-2-3
4th: 1-2-3, 7 straight for Hendricks
4th: Kris Bryant singles to left center, he was MVP of the Cubs round 2 win. The Cub third sacker is 24, was Rookie of the Year last year and NL MVP this year. Led the league in runs scored, he also played all 3 OF spots, first and short this year. That's all.
5th: 1-2-3, 10 straight for Hendricks.
5th: 1-2-3, just hits on the day for the Cubs.
6th: Ruether helps himself with a single. Edd Roush follows with a double and Reds are in business. The Reds CF is 26, Roush started his career in Chicago with the Sox, he led the league in BA this year. Groh singles again - it clears the bases and the Reds are now up Reds 3 Cubs 0
6th: Hendricks matches Ruether's single. But that's all - and this sold out crowd is all anxiety now; they trail by 3 and we're headed to the 7th.
7th: Larry Kopf singles with one out; he was MVP of the Reds round 1 win over the 1945 Cubs. The Reds SS is 28, that's all.
7th: Still just 3 Cub hits on the day. Anthony Rizzo rips a single to left. The big first baseman is 26, made his 3rd All Star team this year, won the Gold Glove and finished 4th in the MVP. Willson Contreras follows with a single. Do the Cubs get something going? Ruether gets one - then back to back Reds errors allow Baez and Russell to reach and it scores a run. Ruether gets the second - then walks Dexter Fowler and now it's 3-2. Zobrist comes through with a big base hit - it scores the tying run. The Reds go to the pen; Dolf Luque's a 28 year old RH, 10-3, 2.63. He walks Bryant -- and the Cubs take the lead and this crowd is absolutely frenzied. Reds 3 Cubs 4
8th: 31 year old RH Pedro Strop comes on for the Cubs. 2.85 ERA. 1-2-3
8th: Soler singles with one away; that's it. Let's go to the 9th.
9th: Hector Rondon comes on for the Cubs. 28 year old RH, 18 saves, 3.53.
Groh singles.
Ivey Wingo is next -- he grounds right back to the mound - Rondon throws to second for one - onto first -- double play.
Daubert grounds to short -- onto first -- and its over.
Reds 3
Cubs 4
WP Hendricks
LP Ruether
Sv Rondon
Big Cub comeback in this one; they bat around in the 7th, score 4 runs and take game 1.
Fowler 1x
Zobrist 2x
Bryant 2x
Rizzo 1x
Contreras 1x
Soler 2x
Roush 1x/double
Groh 3x
Daubert 1x
Kopf 1x
Neale 1x
3B Groh (29) 149 5.5
CF Roush (26) (LH) 146 4.9
C Wingo (28) (LH) 114 2.5
SS Kopf (28) (SH) 94 1.9
1B Daubert (35) (LH) 104 1.7
RF Cueto (27) 87
LF Bressler (24) 88
2B Rath (31) (LH) 95 4.3
SP2 Sallee (34) (LH) 136 3.8
CF Fowler (30) (SH) 123 3.9
RF Zobrist (35) (SH) 121 3.8
3B Bryant (24) 146 7.6
1B Rizzo (26) (LH) 143 6.3
C Contreras (24) 122 2.2
LF Soler (24) 103 .6
2B Baez (23) 94 2.3
SS Russell (22) 94 3.9
SP2 Lester (32) (LH) 171 5.5
GAME TWO
1st: The Cubs scored 4 in the 7th in game one and look to keep that going today with Jon Lester; 32 year old lefty, 19-5, 2.44. It's his 2nd year in Chicago after 9 in Boston and 11 games with the A's. Lester made his 4th All Star team this year, led the league in winning % and was second in the Cy Young, through 2020 the best finish of his career. Ivey Wingo singles with 2 away and that's it.
1st: 34 year old Slim Sallee looks to even up the series; 21-7, 2.06. It's his first year in Cincinnati after 9 with the Cards and 3 with the Giants. It's the only season he'll ever win 20. He gets one - then Ben Zobrist and Kris Bryant single. That's it.
2nd: Jake Daubert doubles. After an out, Rube Bressler doubles him home. Bressler gets the start in LF today; he's 24. he played in 61 games this year, the most to that date in 6 big league seasons. He hit .206. Reds 1 Cubs 0
2nd: Jorge Soler was co-MVP of the Cubs round one win and he singles with one out. That's all.
3rd: 1-2-3
3rd: 1-2-3
4th: 1-2-3, 8 straight for Lester.
4th: Willson Contreras singles with 2 away. The Cubs have 3 catchers who had over 200 PA; Contreras has the best bat so he gets the first shot. He's a rookie. That's it.
5th: This looks a lot like game one so far; Bressler singles again, Morrie Rath walks; the Reds second baseman is 31, he was in Chicago with the White Sox in 1912 and 1913 and didn't play a big league inning after that until this season. Lester gets 2 and then walks Roush to load the bases. Ivey Wingo singles to right, scoring 2. Larry Kopf singles to left, scoring another. The Reds are up big. Reds 4 Cubs 0
5th: Jorge Baez singles. Baez is 23, he's at second base in this series, also played at third, short, first and left this season. Dexter Fowler singles 2 outs later. It ends here.
6th: Rath singles with 2 out and that's it.
6th: Bryant singles. An out later Contreras singles. Sallee gets the second out - then Baez comes through with a double that clears the bases and halves the deficit. Addison Russell singles home Baez and all of the sudden it's 4-3. Russell's 22, made his first (only, to date) All Star team. Reds 4 Cubs 3
7th: 1-2-3
7th: Dexter Fowler singles. The Cub third baseman is 30. Like Russell, he made his only (to date) All Star team this year. Zobrist follows with a single - are the Cubs coming back again? Bryant singles to the score. That's it for Sallee, Dolf Luque again comes on and Anthony Rizzo just rips a double; the Cubs have done it again, 2 more score. Reds 4 Cubs 6
8th: Pedro Strop, just as he did in game 1, comes on here. And just as game 1 -- 1-2-3
8th: 14 hits today for the Cubs; Luque gets 2 and then Fowler singles. Zobrist then doubles - but Luque escapes.
9th: Once again, Hector Rondon for the Cubs.
Bressler lines to second.
Rath lines to second.
Pat Duncan comes on to hit - and he grounds to second - Baez throws to first and once again, the Cubs have come back to win.
In game 1 - Cubs were down 3-0, won 4-3. Today, Cubs were down 4-0, won 6-4.
Reds 4
Cubs 6
WP Lester
LP Sallee
Sv Rondon
16 hits for the Cubs today; they win both games in Wrigley and we will head to Cincinnati.
Fowler 4x
Zobrist 5x/double
Bryant 5x
Rizzo 2x/double
Contreras 3x
Soler 3x
Baez 2x/double
Russell 1x
Roush 2x/double
Groh 3x
Daubert 2x/double
Bressler 2x/double
Kopf 2x
Neale 1x
Wingo 2x
Rath 2x
CF Fowler (30) (SH) 123 3.9
2B Zobrist (35) (SH) 121 3.8
1B Rizzo (26) (LH) 143 6.3
3B Bryant (24) 146 7.6
LF Coghlan (31) (LH) 109
C Montero (32) (LH) 82
SS Baez (23) 94 2.3
RF Heyward (26) (LH) 68
SP3 Arrieta (30) 135 5.1
CF Roush (26) (LH) 146 4.9
3B Groh (29) 149 5.5
C Wingo (28) (LH) 114 2.5
1B Daubert (35) (LH) 104 1.7
2B Rath (31) (LH) 95 4.3
SS Kopf (28) (SH) 94 1.9
RF Neale (27) (LH) 92 1
LF Bressler (24) 88
SP3 Eller (24) 117
GAME THREE
1st: Redland Field in Cincinnati, the Reds looking up at a two game deficit in this best of 5 Regional Semi-Final. 24 year old RH Hod Eller on the mound, 19-9, 2.39. Eller's in his 3rd season of a 5 year big league career, he led MLB in K/9. He gets then walks Rizzo - Bryant then singles, that's 6 times on base for Bryant, leading both squads. And then Chris Coghlan, making his first start of the series against a RH, singles, it scores a run. Cubs 1 Reds 0
1st: The Cubs came into the series heavy favorites and are now 8 innings from a sweep. 30 year old RH Jake Arrieta is 18-8, 3.10. Arrieta made the All Star team; to date, it's his only appearance. He won the Cy Young last year, this year, he finished 9th, led MLB in H/9. 1-2-3
2nd: Arrieta helps himself with a 2 out single, that's it.
2nd: 1-2-3
3rd: Zobrist singles; Cubs shuffled guys around today, Zobrist moves from RF to 2B. He's reached 6 times. That's all.
3rd: Greasy Neale singles. Neale's platooning in RF; he's 27, in his 4th season. A double play erases him - but then Hod Eller ties the score with a homer to right center. Eller had a good year with the bat; a 110 OPS+. Cubs 1 Reds 1
4th: Jorge Baez singles with 2 out, Baez moves over to short today. Jason Heyward's in RF today and he singles. Heyward's 26, it's his first year in Chicago after 5 with the Braves and 1 with the Cards. Heyward won the Gold Glove this year but his bat just fell completely off the table and it's tough to find a spot for him in this lineup. And then it's Arrieta - the pitchers keep hitting today - he doubles to clear the bases. Arrieta had a pretty good year with the bat, an 89 OPS+. Cubs 3 Reds 1
4th: Ivey Wingo walks with one out, the Reds backstop is 28, it's his first year in Cincinnati after 4 in St Louis. That's it.
5th: 1-2-3
5th: 1-2-3
6th: Miguel Montero's in the lineup for the first time in the series and he doubles with 1 away; he's 32, platooning at catcher, he spent the first 9 years of his career in Arizona and it's his second with the Cubs. After the second out - Heyward comes through with a double that scores a run. And now the sweep looks imminent. Arrieta singles again - 3 hits for the Cubs pitcher and he drives home a run. Cubs 5 Reds 1
6th: Pat Duncan comes off the bench and walks, but that's it - Arrieta's allowed just 2 hits.
7th: Dolf Luque is pitching again for the Reds; Bryant and Coghlan single with 2 away, but that's all.
7th: Reds are 9 outs from elimination; 1-2-3
8th: Heyward walks with one away, that's all.
8th: Arrieta's allowed fewer hits than he's made today, which sure feels like an MVP performance, he gives up a one out Bressler double, but no more.
9th: 34 year old RH Roy Mitchell comes on for the Reds; 2.32. Zobrist singles with one out and Rizzo walks, again, the Reds to the pen - this time for the 5th starter, 24 year old RH Jimmy Ring, 10 wins, 2.26. Bryant singles to load the bases. That's all.
9th: Pedro Strop had perfect 8th innings in games 1 and 2 and he comes on here.
Groh grounds to short.
Wingo pops to second.
Daubert grounds to first -- Rizzo runs to the bag and its over -- a subdued celebration for the Cubs - they came in as the 6th overall seed in the tournament, they expected to not just get to the Regional Final but to win it. They'll face the winner of the next matchup, and it is a doozy.
Cubs 5
Reds 1
WP Arrieta
LP Eller
Arrieta got 3 hits and gave up 3 hits and the Cubs swept the Reds.
Zobrist 7x/double
Bryant 8x
Zobrist and Bryant are the two top bats in the series; Rendon saved both games 1 and 2 and it's Arrieta's performance that really stands out from today. Let's say he's the MVP.
