Hamilton's walk-off walk gives Reds 5-4 win over Cubs

CINCINNATI -- Billy Hamilton tried not let the Cubs' unusual defense rattle him.

Batting against a drawn-in, five-man infield, Hamilton drew a bases-loaded walk from Justin Wilson with no outs in the 11th inning and the Cincinnati Reds outlasted Chicago 5-4 Saturday in the first game of a day-night doubleheader.

"If he threw a strike, I'd have to put the ball in play," Hamilton said. "It's kind of tough when you see a five-man infield and two guys playing up the middle. It gets you to thinking you've got to do something different, but you've got to relax."

The benches cleared in the seventh when Javier Baez exchanged words with Reds reliever Amir Garrett after striking out to end the inning. The fracas was quickly broken up.

Baez hit a grand slam off Garrett last May. This time, Garrett shouted in celebration after fanning Baez, then stared at him and exchanged words.

"If you're going to show somebody up, at least face up or man up and stay there," Baez said. "Walk this way."

"Right now, anybody can strike me out because I'm struggling," he said.

Said Garrett: "I love the way he plays the game. But if you're going to dish it, you've got to take it."

The Reds topped a Chicago team that rallied three times to tie it but left 14 runners on base. Ian Happ homered, tripled and doubled for the Cubs, who drew a large contingent of fans to Great American Ball Park.

"We have to have better at-bats in those moments," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I think that may be one of my least favorite games as the Cubs manager. We just looked a little fatigued. We just didn't do a good job. That's possibly one of my worst games sitting in that dugout."

Cincinnati loaded the bases in the 11th off Justin Wilson (1-1) on a walk to Scott Schebler, a bloop single by Tucker Barnhart and a walk to Adam Duvall. The Cubs went to a five-man infield with the speedy Hamilton up, but he drew a walk-off walk on five pitches.

"Billy had a great at-bat," interim manager Jim Riggleman said. "We let some chances go by. I thought it would haunt us, and sure enough, it did. We had a lot of good at-bats. Schebler and Duvall. Tucker gave us a chance."

Dylan Floro (1-0) earned his first career win with two relief innings.

"It's awesome," the former Cub said. "For it to happen like that, it's a great experience. I'm excited. It is hard to catch my breath."

"I was with them last year. They're a great organization. I appreciate them. It is always nice to get a `W' against them. I've been in a lot of situations. It is a great feeling for him to put me in those situations. I want to prove I can do it," he said.

The Cubs trailed 4-2 in the eighth before Happ homered off Raisel Iglesias, and Anthony Rizzo hit a tying double with two outs.

Cincinnati starter Luis Castillo tied his career high with five walks. He also allowed six hits, but the Cubs managed to score just one run while stranding eight runners in his five innings. They finished 1 for 16 with runners in scoring position.

Castillo left with a 2-1 lead, but the Cubs rallied to tie it in the sixth against David Hernandez on Happ's leadoff triple and a double by pitcher Kyle Hendricks.

The doubleheader was scheduled after the Cubs' game at Cincinnati on April 3 was postponed by rain without starting.

FORECAST SAYS?

Rain started falling in the bottom of the first inning and continued into the bottom of the third, even at times when sunshine bathed the field. Rain returned in the middle of the ninth, again in sunshine.

SPEED MERCHANT

Kris Bryant's steal of second base with one out in the Cubs 11th was his first swipe of the season.

BENCH STRENGTH

Tommy La Stella's eighth-inning single for the Cubs was his major league-leading ninth pinch hit of the season.

TRAINER'S ROOM

Cubs: Albert Almora Jr. stumbled while scrambling back to second base on Bryant's first-inning single, leading to a visit from manager Maddon and a trainer. Almora did a test run into the outfield and stayed in the game.

Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani (left oblique strain) was scheduled to make his second rehab start with Double-A Pensacola. He threw three perfect innings in his first outing on Monday.

UP NEXT

Cubs: RHP Yu Darvish (0-3) makes his second start since coming off the disabled list on Monday. He has 13 strikeouts in a combined 12 2/3 innings over two career starts against Cincinnati.

Reds: RHP Tyler Mahle (3-5) allowed one hit with two walks and seven strikeouts in six innings of Cincinnati's 1-0 win over Chicago on April 2.