Cubs drop to Reds after pitchers surrender three homers

The Chicago Cubs’ trip to Cincinnati is spiraling at the worst possible time. They dropped their third straight game to the Reds in a 6-3 loss on Saturday night.

The defeat highlighted a troubling trend for the Cubs—a surge in home runs allowed. It’s raising new questions about whether they’re really ready for the postseason.

Michael Busch hit a personal milestone and Reese McGuire gave the lineup a spark. But defensive mistakes and missed chances late in the game proved costly again.

With the Reds gaining ground in the wild card chase, the Cubs’ grip on October suddenly feels shaky. You can sense the tension in every at-bat.

Cubs Struggle to Contain Reds’ Power Game

The Cubs’ pitchers keep giving up home runs, and Saturday was no different. Great American Ball Park is a hitter’s playground, but Chicago just can’t seem to keep the ball in the park lately.

Assad Falters, Defense Doesn’t Help

Starter Javier Assad ran into trouble in the third inning. He gave up two runs, with one coming after a misplay by Dansby Swanson.

The error didn’t show up in the box score, but it changed the inning. It really shifted the momentum toward Cincinnati.

Assad’s outing showed just how little room for error there is in September.

Bright Spots from Busch and McGuire

There were a few highlights, at least. Michael Busch smashed his 30th home run of the season early in the game.

That shot put him in the Cubs’ history books. He’s just the 27th player in franchise history to reach 30 homers, and only the eighth left-handed hitter to do it.

McGuire’s Bat Stays Hot at Great American

In the fifth, Reese McGuire launched a solo homer that tied the game 2-2. That’s his third homer at Great American Ball Park this season, which is pretty wild given how few at-bats he’s had there.

The celebration didn’t last long, though.

Reds Answer Back with Long Ball Power

The Reds quickly took the momentum right back. Spencer Steer took reliever Drew Pomeranz deep in the bottom half, putting Cincinnati back in front.

One inning later, TJ Friedl added another blast. Chicago’s pitching just keeps getting burned by the long ball.

Cubs’ Missed Chance in the Eighth

Chicago had a real shot in the eighth inning. Willi Castro doubled, and Nico Hoerner singled to put runners on the corners with one out.

The tying run stood just 90 feet away. It felt like the rally was coming, but then:

• Ian Happ struck out swinging.
• Moisés Ballesteros grounded out, ending the threat.

Stephenson Delivers the Knockout Blow

If there was any hope left for Chicago, Tyler Stephenson erased it in the bottom of the eighth. He crushed a two-run homer off Andrew Kittredge, putting the Reds up 6-3.

That swing basically finished off the Cubs’ comeback hopes.

Concerning Trend for the Cubs

Chicago has now lost three in a row for the fifth time this season. It’s the second time in September they’ve dropped at least three straight.

That’s not what you want to see from a team trying to get ready for the postseason. It’s hard not to worry a little.

Postseason Outlook Tightens

Even with this rough weekend, the Cubs’ magic number for the NL’s top wild card spot is still four. The earliest they can clinch is Tuesday, when the Mets come to Wrigley Field.

The cushion is shrinking fast, though. Every game feels like it matters just a bit more now.

Reds Keep the Pressure On

With this win, Cincinnati tightened the wild card race. They’re now just a game behind the Mets and own the crucial head-to-head tiebreaker.

The Cubs suddenly find themselves in a high-pressure spot as the season winds down. Every pitch and at-bat might decide where they land in the postseason.

Right now, the Cubs have one big problem staring them down—they’ve got to keep the ball in the park and make the most of every scoring chance. If they don’t, October could slip away in a hurry.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Cubs pitchers served up three more home runs and lost to the Reds