Chicago Cubs Score and Recap (9/19/25): Reds 7, Cubs 4 – 5 Homers Allowed in Loss
The Cubs had a much more successful night offensively at the Great American Ball Park after they were shut out on Thursday. Unfortunately, the Reds had an even better time with five home runs to hand the Chicago a second consecutive defeat.
Shōta Imanaga gave up another 1st inning solo home run to Miguel Andujar, and Cincinnati moved ahead 1-0. Dansby Swanson tied the score with his own homer off Nick Lodolo in the following frame. Ian Happ then gave the North Siders a 2-1 lead with an RBI double in the 3rd.
Imanaga was taken deep by Matt McLain in the bottom of the frame to even the score at 2-2. The Cubs went back on top thanks to their own Matt in the top of the 4th when Matt Shaw blasted a two-run dinger to make it 4-2.
The Reds got one run back in the bottom of the 4th on a Spencer Steer home run and tied the game on a TJ Friedl single in the 5th. Things took a turn for the worse when Porter Hodge took over in the following inning. Steer smoked a go-ahead two-run homer and Elly de la Cruz made it back-to-back with a solo jack to put the home team in front 7-4.
Chicago failed to generate anything against Cincinnati’s bullpen and lost by the same score. (Box score)
Key Moment
Hodge has struggled mightily most of the season and proved again in the 6th inning that he probably cannot be trusted in the playoffs.
Why the Cubs Lost
It’s hard to keep the ball in this park, and that was the difference in this one as the Reds out-homered the visitors 5-2.
Stats That Matter
- Imanaga only gave up four hits, but three of them were homers: 5 IP, 4 R, 3 ER, 4 H, 4 K, 2 BB.
- Shaw doubled in addition to his home run.
- Happ had two more hits as he stayed hot.
Bottom Line
The Cubs are trying to use this final week of games to figure out exactly how they are going to put their roster together for the playoffs. The division race is over and the Padres continue to cooperate by losing, but Chicago has to find what relievers they will be able to rely on come October.
On Deck
The third game of the series is Saturday night at 5:40pm CT. Javier Assad takes the mound against Zack Littell in a contest broadcast on Marquee with a radio feed on 670 The Score.
