Cubs, Imanaga Bounce Back and Capture 4-2 Win in Cincinnati

Losing three straight to the Cincinnati Reds is never good, but the Chicago Cubs had that realization entering Sunday. After a disappointing loss on Thursday, back-to-back one-run losses set the Cubs up on Sunday with a series loss. However, a win in the finale would avoid the dreaded sweep.

Tale of the Tape

LHP Shota Imanaga was set to duel against RHP Frankie Montas on Sunday. Before Imanaga could find the mound, the Cubs offense already gave him something to work with.

A Mike Tauchman walk led off the game and was followed by Seiya Suzuki's eighth double of the season. With two men on, Cody Bellinger lined out, but Christopher Morel also walked, setting up bases loaded and one out for Ian Happ.

The former Cincinnati Bearcat thrives at Great American Ballpark. Although he was 0-11 in the series entering the day, Ian Happ finally struck. Happ's bases-clearing double set the Cubs up with a 3-0 lead in the top of the first.

Although the Cubs added another baserunner in the form of Michael Busch, who made his first start at second base for the Cubs on Sunday, they couldn't push across anymore runs. The Cubs stranded two, but found themselves with a crooked number in the first.

After Imanaga flew through the bottom of the first, Montas returned to the mound after throwing a nauseating amount of pitches in the first inning. Montas only threw 55 pitches before he was lifted, with nearly 40 of those coming in the opening frame.

In the top of the second, the Cubs added another run. Migual Amaya led the inning off with a double, setting up Mike Tauchman to add a RBI single and give the Cubs a 4-0 lead.

The Cubs got one more single from Bellinger before Montas was lifted after 1.1 innings. However, reliever Carson Spiers came in for the Reds and largely shut down the Cubs.

Imanaga was sensational, pitching all the way into the seventh inning. Imanaga went 6.2 innings, allowing just five hits and two earned runs. A Luke Maile solo homer in the bottom of the third, and a Santiago Espinal RBI single in the bottom of the seventh were the only runs allowed. Imanaga only walked one and struck out seven, returning to form prior to his last two starts.

Mark "Houdini" Leiter Jr. spelled Imanaga and escaped the jam in the seventh with Jonathan India on third. With the Reds stuck at two runs, Leiter Jr. pitched the eighth as well, ending his 1.1 innings with one walk, two punchouts, and no hits or runs allowed.

The Cubs received clutch work from Hector Neris in the bottom of the ninth as well. After a slight delay to repair the pitcher's mound, Neris dug in and pitched a gem. Neris struck out Spencer Steer and India before getting Espinal to ground out and end the game. The Cubs escaped Cincinnati with an important 4-2 win in the series finale.

That's Better, But Not Perfect

Shota Imanaga returned to form, the bullpen was great, and the offense scored enough runs to win. That is exactly what the Cubs needed. It was a big win, but it was far from perfect.

The Cubs beat up Montas, chasing the righty after just 1.1 innings. Four runs were put on the board by the Cubs, but they were shut down for the rest of the game. Carson Spiers, Brent Suter, and Buck Farmer kept the Cubs at bay for the remainder of the game, giving their side a chance. Fortunately, the Cubs' pitching was equally as good, leading to a Cubs win.

In the end, the bats still need to be more consistent, and be able to have bigger innings than they're having right now. However, seeing a win on the board makes everyone feel better, and they can work on fixing the offense further on Tuesday.

What's On Tap Next?

The Cubs find themselves with a beneficial off day on Monday before opening a three-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays on Tuesday. RHP Jameson Taillon will take the bump from Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg, FL. Tampa Bay has yet to announce their starter for the opener. First pitch is scheduled for 5:50 p.m. CDT and can be found on Marquee Sports Network.

Subscribe to On Tap Sports Net on YouTube , and the Cubs On Tap podcast and Dingers: A Chicago Cubs Podcast for more Chicago Cubs content, updates, and hot takes!