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Chicago Cubs: Team salvages important split in Reds series

By Ryan Sikes

(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
(Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The Chicago Cubs needed to win this finale of the four-game series against the Reds. Thankfully, Kris Bryant came up big when they needed him most.

After a dominant 12-5 victory in the series opener on Thursday night, the Chicago Cubs were looking at losing 3-of-4 to their divisional rival Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs have struggled mightily on the road this season for whatever reason even though they are one of the best teams at home in terms of their record.

The first three games summed up the team’s road woes with the big win on Thursday and then the offense going quiet for two games, including a 10-1 loss on Saturday evening. The Reds jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Sunday and it looked like the onslaught was going to continue, but Jon Lester did his job and kept the Cubs in the game.

Lester pitched 5.0 innings and struck out 7 batters while allowing the aforementioned three runs but the Cubs offense went to work after that. Javier Baez got the Cubs on the board with his 32nd double of the season in the top of the 6th inning. Tony Kemp followed with an RBI groundout in the 7th inning that cut the deficit to just one run.

Kris Bryant, who has struggled mightily in high leverage situations this season, cranked a three-run shot to give the Cubs the lead and that was all they needed as the bullpen locked down the rest of the game. If you haven’t heard the Reds broadcast of the Bryant home run, it’s pretty entertaining to say the least.

I can’t stress enough how important this win was for the Cubs to at least salvage a series split. They began the roadtrip with a 3.5 game lead in the National League Central division but was cut down to just 1.5 games prior to Sunday. The Milwaukee Brewers ended up losing the series finale against the Texas Rangers but the St. Louis Cardinals won Sunday, so the Cubs will enter the off day on Monday with a 2.0 game lead.

The Cubs know the relevance of this series as they have struggled to beat the Reds this season, losing 9 of the first 14 games prior to Sunday.

"“We’re not really focused on the road record per se,” Bryant said. “We just want to win these games. The past is whatever it is. Our record is not good. But we try to have fun with it, bring the white uniforms on the road. It worked twice. And I guess we’ll take it.”"

This roadtrip given the point in the season and the narrow division lead is arguably the most important of the season. Had the Cubs lost the series finale and 3-of-4 again to the Reds, it could have created a potential tailspin heading into the series with the Philadephia Phillies.

dark. Next. 3 reasons road trip is most important of season

Here are the matchups for that series:

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