The Chicago Cubs began their final series of 2024 Friday afternoon with a 1-0 win over the Cincinnati Reds in the quickest game in MLB since 2010. The pitchers’ duel lasted just one hour and 48 minutes and saw only 12 batters reach base. Jameson Taillon ended 2024 on a high note by tossing seven scoreless innings for the Chicago Cubs, just outmatching Nick Martinez who pitched eight innings of one-run baseball, allowing the run on a Miguel Amaya sacrifice fly in the fifth.
This game featured a combination of only nine hits and just four pitchers as the bats were dead in this one. The win clinches the Chicago Cubs a winning season and leaves the Cincinnati Reds vulnerable to finishing last in the final NL Central standings if they can’t scrape a win out of this three-game series. The shutout for the Reds continues a string of losses in the wake of the firing of manager David Bell.
Quick Win for Chicago Cubs
If you blinked you might’ve missed the opening game of the final series of the year between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds Friday afternoon. The contest took only one hour and 48 minutes, making it the quickest game in MLB since 2010. The Cubs were able to push across the only run of the game on a Miguel Amaya RBI sacrifice fly in the fifth inning off of Cincinnati starter Nick Martinez. The fly ball was just deep enough for Nico Hoerner to sprint home and score, narrowly evading the tag from Tyler Stephenson.
Pitchers Shine on the North Side
Martinez carried the load for the Reds pitching staff, tossing all eight of their innings and allowing just five hitters to reach base all day. The tremendous outing would’ve been the headline for the game if it were not for Jameson Taillon toeing the rubber for the Chicago Cubs. After a 2024 season that started on the injured list and navigated trade speculation throughout, Taillon ended it on a high note.
The 32-year-old right-hander made it through seven frames without surrendering a run, giving up four hits and two walks while striking out two Reds on 89 pitches. In what was possibly his last start on the north side of the Windy City, Taillon left with a dazzling outing. Although he was peppered with baserunners throughout the start, Taillon hunkered down when the Reds were threatening and shut Cincinnati down, retiring all five batters who came up to the plate with runners in scoring position.
Chicago Cubs Bullpen Perfect
After Taillon sat the Reds down for seven frames, manager Craig Counsell went to the bullpen to try and hold the one-run lead. Tyson Miller was tapped to work the eighth for the Cubs and despite hitting a batter to get the go-ahead run to step up to the plate, retired the side to keep the lead intact. Porter Hodge then came into the game to try and close out the game in one of his more difficult closing opportunities in his short time as the Chicago closer.
Hodge had to contend with the heart of the Cincinnati Reds order and protect a measly one-tally advantage. He took on the challenge with aggressive pitching and worked a 1-2-3 ninth to retire the side, record his eighth save of the season, and clinch a winning record for the Chicago Cubs. After spending much of the season struggling in AAA, Hodge’s development into the closing role has been encouraging for Cubs fans down the stretch of the 2024 season.
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