Postgame Takeaways: Cincinnati Reds Win Sixth Straight Game, Beat Chicago Cubs 3-2

The Cincinnati Reds stay hot, beating the Chicago Cubs 3-2 for their sixth straight win and their 11th win in their last 14 games.

Here are our postgame takeaways:

You Can Always Count on Nick

Nick Lodolo tossed six innings of four-hit, one-run baseball. He walked two and struck out seven batters. Lodolo lowered his ERA to 2.92 on the season. The Reds are 7-2 in games that Lodolo starts.

Dolo Dealin'

🔴 6 IP
🔴 1 ER
🔴 2 BB
🔴 7 K pic.twitter.com/4wSWL2PtZz
— Cincinnati Reds (@Reds) June 8, 2024

Clutch Hitting

With two outs in the fourth inning, the Reds still had not gotten a hit. Spencer Steer struck out on a ball in the dirt, but the ball got away from the catcher and he was able to reach first base and Elly De La Cruz was able to move up to third base. On an 0-1 count, Tyler Stephenson ripped a two-run double to the left-field corner to give the Reds a 2-0 lead. Stephenson extended his hit streak to eight games.

Stuart Fairchild provided an RBI single in the fifth inning. Coming into the game, he was hitting .333 with a .921 OPS against left-handed pitching.

Blake Dunn's First Major League Hit

Dunn got his first hit as a Cincinnati Red with no outs in the fifth inning. He turned a single into a hustle double off left-hander Justin Steele. Dunn scored on a single by Fairchild and has now scored a run in all four games he's played in since being called up.

Congratulations to Blake Dunn on his first Major League hit as he hustles out a double! @BlakeDu1 | @Reds pic.twitter.com/wyEDvBytdr
— Bally Sports Cincinnati (@BallySportsCIN) June 8, 2024

Bullpen Held The Lead

Nick Martinez pitched a perfect 1-2-3 scoreless seventh inning in relief of Lodolo. Justin Wilson gave up a leadoff single in the eighth but was able to strand the runner at first. Alexis Diaz got the first two Cubs to fly out in the ninth before walking a batter and giving up an RBI double to Miguel Amaya. He got Patrick Wisdom to strike out to end the game.

Up Next

The Reds and Cubs face off in game two of the series on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET at Great American Ballpark.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds!