Alejo Lopez, Jonathan India rally Cincinnati Reds in ninth inning to comeback win

CHICAGO – The Cincinnati Reds had defensive misplays lead to a couple of runs, particularly balls lost in the sun, watched top reliever Alexis Díaz give up a go-ahead homer in the eighth inning and still found a way to earn a comeback win.

Down to their final two outs Thursday while trailing by a run, Alejo Lopez hit a game-tying RBI triple in the right-center gap, scoring Nick Senzel from first base. Two batters later, Jonathan India thumped an RBI single through the left side of the infield to give the Reds their first lead in a 4-3 victory over the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

It was the first time the Reds won a series against the Cubs this season, taking two of three games in this week’s series.

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"It was a fun game," Reds Manager David Bell said. "These are the kinds of games you battle, players just kept grinding it out and found a way to win it. We’re enjoying it. Having experiences like that where you find what it takes to win a game, you have to come back a couple of times from being behind, it can really carryover."

It was one of those games where momentum kept swinging. The Reds rallied from a two-run deficit with a solo homer from Kyle Farmer in the seventh inning and a bases-loaded walk in the eighth inning.

The Cubs answered in the bottom of the eighth inning when Seiya Suzuki lined a solo homer to left field off Díaz for a 3-2 lead. It was the second earned run Díaz has allowed since the start of August, a span of 15 innings. The Reds left the bases loaded in the eighth inning and two runners on base in the seventh, and it seemed like their missed opportunities caught up to them.

"It didn’t really feel like (missed chances)," Bell said. "I feel like our level of focus, our level of compete, all that stuff was there. Sometimes, you’re not going to get the hit."

In the ninth, however, the hits dropped. After Nick Senzel drew a leadoff walk, Jose Barrero popped out on a bunt attempt. Lopez, who entered in the eighth inning as a pinch-hitter, saw drove the second consecutive changeup he saw from Cubs reliever Mark Leiter Jr. into the gap where it bounced past two converging outfielders to the wall. It was Lopez's first career triple.

“It’s a little different when you’re playing every day, but when you’re not, you’ve got to find something different to make sure you’re prepared and you don’t feel lost in the game," said Lopez, who didn't play in the first two games of the series. "I have found different drills that have worked really well for me, so when I come into the game and I haven’t played in three to four days, I feel great.”

India stepped into the batter's box against Leiter with Lopez on third base and two outs. He lined out to shortstop in the eighth inning in a gritty six-pitch at-bat with a runner on base. In the ninth, he capitalized on a curveball over the middle of the plate, pumping his fist when he saw the ball roll into the outfield.

"That was my redemption," said India, who had his second three-hit game in the past week. "It was a Reds baseball win. Gritty win. We grinded it out."

Ian Gibaut earned his first career save with a scoreless bottom of the ninth inning. It wasn't without a little drama: Shortstop Barrero secured an over-the-shoulder catch in shallow left field while falling to the ground for the first out of the inning. He looked like a wide receiver trying to track down an underthrown pass, and Gibaut shouted some words of appreciation from the mound.

Barrero's catch loomed larger after the next batter singled to center. Gibaut struck out his final two batters.

"I don’t know how he caught it," Bell said. "He had a day where he didn’t get any hits at the plate, and he comes out and really wins the game right there. That’s a totally different inning if he doesn’t make that play."

The late-inning dramatics were the opposite of the pitcher's duel between Luis Cessa and Adrian Sampson. Cessa, who moved into the Reds' rotation out of necessity because four starters went on the injured list in August, is making a case to stay there.

Cessa didn't permit a hit through his first four innings. He was one out from completing six innings and matching his single-game career high. He matched his career high with eight strikeouts.

“He was dealing," India said. "It was pretty cool for him. He’s an unbelievable guy in the bullpen for us. For him to be put in this position for us is hard. I give him credit for doing what he’s doing now. I don’t know how much longer he’ll be a starter, but he’s doing amazing.”

It was a festive postgame clubhouse in a game led by some unsung heroes. Lopez, who has inconsistent playing time, provided the clutch hit. Barrero, slumping at the plate, made the catch of the day. Gibaut earned the save.

“Alejo is a special hitter," India said. "I’ve played with him since High-A. He’s always been a bat-to-ball guy, never strikes out, comes through in big situations. He’ll give you a big hit and did today. It’s not a surprise. I knew he was going to come through there.”

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Alejo Lopez, Jonathan India lead Reds rally in win over Cubs