CINCINNATI — A long day of baseball got even longer for the Cubs when they lost 5-4 to the Reds in 11 innings Saturday on a bases-loaded walk by Justin Wilson in the first game of a doubleheader a Great American Ball Park.
Wilson, the hard-throwing lefty who showed command problems down the stretch after being acquired last season, walked three of the four batters he faced in the 11th and gave up a single in between to Tucker Barnhart.
With a five-man infield in place, light-hitting Billy Hamilton drew the winning walk on a 3-1 pitch as the Cubs used the bullpen for six innings of work.
“We had that game so many other ways before that,” manager Maddon said, referring to 1-for-16 hitting with runners in scoring position and 14 men left on base — after going 4-for-19 with 14 left the night before. “Yesterday you win so you aren’t as concerned about runners left in scoring position. Today you don’t win a game and it’s an equal number. That’s what that game was all about.
“That’s one of my least favorite games as Cubs manager.”
Maddon downplayed the command meltdown of Wilson, choosing instead to highlight the left-hander’s recent success.
“If there’s not another game tonight I might have done something differently there,” Maddon said. “But you just can’t spend everybody with another game tonight and then a day game tomorrow. That was his spot and it just didn’t work.”
Tempers flared in the seventh inning when the benches emptied after Reds pitcher Amir Garrett and Cubs’ second baseman Javy Baez exchanged words after Baez struck out to end the inning.
No punches were thrown, and nobody was ejected. Baez went 0-for-5 in the game.
Baez said Garrett held a grudge over Baez’s grand slam against him last year and took exception to the pitcher making his celebration personal by showing up Baez, including staring at him as he left the mound.
“I don’t control what he does. Any pitcher can do anything he wants,” said the high-emotion and flashy Baez, who was fine with the outburst before it got personal. “Right now anybody can strike me out. I’m struggling. I’m frustrated. …
But, he added later, “If you’re going to show somebody up at least man up and walk [toward me].”
Maddon took exception with what he called Garrett’s “Lion King type of a roar”
“I’m certain if he continues with that method that’s going to happen more often,” Maddon said. “The Lion Kind should be reserved for Broadway or a movie theater.”
The Cubs tied the game with a two-run eighth.
Ian Happ — who missed hitting for the cycle for lack of a single — led off the eighth with a homer to left-center.
Pinch-hitter Tommy La Stella followed with a single, and after a strikeout and fly ball out, Anthony Rizzo doubled to the opposite-field gap to drive home La Stella from first.
