A very long game was decided by a huge outburst late.
This game happened in that weird 5-15 stretch the Cubs had midway through their World Series year in 2016.
They had lost six of seven before opening a series in Cincinnati with an 11-8 win. The next night, June 28, Jon Lester took the mound and wound up in a pitchers’ duel with journeyman John Lamb.
Ben Zobrist led off the game with a home run [VIDEO].
Lester, not known as a good hitter, singled in a run in the fifth for a 2-0 lead, which he nursed into the eighth before allowing a home run to Billy Hamilton.
Héctor Rondón entered for the save opportunity after that and finished off the eighth inning and was one out away from wrapping up the game when Cubs nemesis Eugenio Suárez singled in the tying run.
And then no one scored for a very, very long time. Justin Grimm, Carl Edwards Jr., Trevor Cahill, Spencer Patton and Travis Wood held the Reds scoreless through the 14th inning. In fact, this was the first game where Joe Maddon moved Wood to left field for several batters, switching back and forth to the mound. You can’t do that anymore, with recent rule changes.
The Cubs finally broke through in the 15th. With one out, Zobrist walked and Jason Heyward singled him to third.
Kris Bryant’s single gave the Cubs the lead [VIDEO].
Heyward stopped at second and Anthony Rizzo was intentionally walked to load the bases. Wood was technically still the left fielder at the time, and the Cubs had no bench players left, so Maddon sent Jason Hammel up to bat for Patton. He hit into a force play at the plate.
Javier Báez then put the game away [VIDEO].
That was Báez’ first career grand slam. He now has nine.
Wood dispatched the Reds in the bottom of the 15th and the Cubs had a 7-2 win. This all happened nine years ago today, Tuesday, June 28, 2016.
The Cubs would win again the next day, completing a sweep of the Reds, but then went to New York and got swept in a four-game set by the Mets. A win at home over the Reds ended that losing streak, but the Cubs would lose five more in a row before righting the ship in early July.
Here’s the entire game from June 28, 2016 if you’re interested in watching. (Warning! It’s almost five hours long.)