CINCINNATI – There haven’t been many fun days for the Cubs in August as the team has struggled to find wins since the trade deadline. But after snapping an MLB-leading 12-game losing streak with a victory on Tuesday, on Wednesday, the Cubs had a chance to do something they hadn’t done in almost a month.
Win a series.
The Cubs left Cincinnati with a bang as their offense got contribution throughout the lineup and exploded for 12 hits in Wednesday’s 7-1 win over the Reds.
“It feels nice,” manager David Ross said with a smile. “When you go into each series, that’s the goal. To win every game and come out of every series feeling really good. Feels like it’s been a little while since we’ve done that.”
It was the Cubs’ first series win since July 23-25 against Arizona and their first time winning back-to-back games since July 16-17, also against the Diamondbacks.
Outfielder Ian Happ has had a challenging season and hasn’t been able to replicate his performance from 2020. But in a ballpark he’s had more success in than any, Happ ignited the Cubs’ offense.
Happ crushed a no-doubt solo home run in the first inning to give the Cubs a quick 1-0 lead. It’s the first time this season he’s homered in back-to-back games.
Happ, who attended the University of Cincinnati, has had more success at Great American Ball Park than any other ballpark in the game. His 13 homers at GABP are the second-most at any park outside of Wrigley Field (40) and his 1.222 OPS is his highest in any park, including Wrigley.
The Cubs’ offense had its biggest scoring outburst in the second inning as they plated four more runs against Reds starter Tyler Mahle. Local product Michael Hermosillo got the scoring started by crushing a 441-foot, two-run shot into give the Cubs a 3-1 lead.
Hermosillo, who grew up in downstate Ottawa and attended Ottawa Township High School grew up a Cubs fan. In his first start with his hometown team, he had a moment he will never forgot.
“It’s definitely crazy. I’m just trying to soak it all in enjoy it,” Hermosillo said after the win. “Sitting back right now, it’s awesome. Hitting a home run in a Cubs uniform. Being able to like be a part of a win. Obviously, [I’m] kind of speechless just in terms of my emotions, just because I haven’t really realized it completely yet.”
Hermosillo’s homer was just his second major league home run. His first came off right-hander Adrian Sampson, who tossed four innings of one-run ball for the Cubs in the game. Something the Cubs’ starter never knew until after the game.
“I did know that until just now,” Sampson said with a shocked look on his face.
“I never mentioned. I may have mentioned it to a couple of teammates in Triple-A that I was close with,” Hermosillo said with a laugh. “I feel like this wasn’t something was gonna bring up. If he wanted to bring it up, sure.”
The Cubs extend the lead later in the second inning on an RBI-single by Rafael Ortega and RBI-double Frank Schwindel. Schwindel’s RBI-double was his seventh consecutive game with an extra-base hit. It’s time any Cubs player had accomplished the feat since Aramis Ramirez did it from July 22-29, 2009.
Sergio Alcantara added a solo shot in the sixth inning before a Matt Duffy RBI-single in the ninth inning, making it 7-1 and closing book on a productive day for the offense.
“I think we’ve been getting contributions from everybody, specially offensively,” Ross said. “When we get contributions from those guys, get good pitching and play good defense, it’s a formula for winning.”
