CINCINNATI — Hours after Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer discussed the need for a big-picture evaluation of the team ahead of the trade deadline, a nightmarish road trip continued.
Despite getting Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant back in the lineup, the Cubs’ offensive shortcomings were still on display. The Cubs’ losing streak extended to seven games after falling to the Cincinnati Reds, 2-1, to drop 7 1/2 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in the NL Central.
The offense managed six hits and struck out 14 times. They weren’t able to add on to a 1-0 lead in the fourth from Jason Heyward’s RBI double.
Right-hander Alec Mills pitched well, allowing only two hits in 5 2/3 innings with one walk and nine strikeouts, tying his career high. But both Reds’ runs were charged to him after reliever Adam Morgan surrendered a go-ahead, two-run double to Joey Votto.
Ian Happ’s two-out single in the ninth gave the Cubs a chance to spark a rally, but pinch hitter Rafael Ortega struck out on a 2-2 slider to end the game.
