Jason Vosler came off the bench with a clutch three-run homer and made a game-saving stab of a line drive to lead the Cincinnati Reds past the visiting Chicago Cubs 7-6 on Monday night.
Alex Young (1-0) finished the fifth inning to earn the win, while Derek Law pitched out of a two-out jam in the ninth to earn his first major league save since Sept. 18, 2019, while with the Toronto Blue Jays.
With two outs in the ninth, Law allowed back-to-back singles before Vosler at first base snared pinch-hitter Miles Mastrobuoni's line drive to end the game.
Vosler entered the game in the second as a pinch runner when starting center fielder Jose Barrero left with right hamstring tightness following a second-inning single to left field. Vosler scored later in the inning.
The Reds, who opened 2022 with a major league-worst 3-22 mark, won their third straight to move to 3-1, their first time two games over .500 since finishing the 2021 season with an 83-79 mark.
The Cubs wasted no time getting after Cincinnati starter Connor Overton. Nico Hoerner and Dansby Swanson opened the game with singles.
Following a strikeout of Ian Happ, Cody Bellinger snapped an 0-for-11 start to the season by hammering a hanging curveball from Overton into the seats in right for a 3-0 Cubs lead.
The Reds responded in kind off Cubs starter Drew Smyly (0-1). Jonathan India worked a leadoff walk. The Reds then rattled off four consecutive singles to tie the game, featuring an RBI single from Wil Myers and a two-run single from Kevin Newman that tied the game, 3-3.
After the Reds took a 4-3 lead in the second, the Cubs chased Overton in the fifth when Swanson singled and Happ doubled to open the inning. With runners at second and third, Trey Mancini's groundout tied the game at 4-4, before Eric Hosmer's two-out, two-run double off Young scored Happ and Patrick Wisdom for a 6-4 Cubs lead.
But the Reds again had an immediate answer against Smyly. Tyler Stephenson opened with single, and Stuart Fairchild was hit by a pitch. With two outs, Vosler lifted a Smyly sinker to the opposite field and the ball landed several rows back in left field for his second homer and a 7-6 Cincinnati lead.
Smyly suffered his first loss in six career decisions against the Reds, allowing seven runs -- six earned -- on nine hits, striking out three and walking two over 4 2/3 innings.
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