June 1, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki (27) hits a grand slam against the Cincinnati Reds during the second inning at Wrigley Field.
18:05 JST, June 2, 2024
CHICAGO (AP) — Seiya Suzuki will think about that right-field play for a long time. Even after that grand slam.
Suzuki had a wild second inning for the Chicago Cubs during a 7-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds on a wet Saturday night at Wrigley Field.
First, the Japanese slugger made an error that led to four unearned runs for Cincinnati. He then responded with his first career grand slam – a big swing that seemed to provide little comfort to Suzuki after the fielding error.
“As a player you have to make routine plays,” Suzuki said through an interpreter. “I’m going to try to practice and get out there during BP. Just make sure I make those routine plays ahead.
June 1, 2024; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs outfielder Seiya Suzuki, 27, is unable to catch a ball hit by Cincinnati Reds catcher Luke Maile during the second inning at Wrigley Field.
The start of the game was delayed nearly 3 1/2 hours due to rain, and the showers continued with varying intensity through the first few innings.
Cincinnati had the bases loaded with two outs in the second when Luke Maile hit a lazy catch off Justin Steele. But the ball went wide of Suzuki’s glove.
All three runners scored, and Stuart Fairchild followed with an RBI single that gave the Reds a 4-0 lead. What was left of the announced crowd of 36,430 then cheered sarcastically as Suzuki caught Elly De La Cruz’s flyball for the final out of the inning.
Chicago loaded the bases in the bottom of the second inning after three walks by Hunter Greene. After Mike Tauchman waved out for the second out, Suzuki sent a charge through the swampy crowd when he hit a fastball deep to left.
“You’re going to be down when that happens and he went and he had a great at-bat in a big spot,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. ‘And with one swing of the bat the game is back in balance. So thanks to Seiya for sticking with it because you feel terrible when you do.
Suzuki’s sixth homer traveled 400 feet with an exit velocity of 110 mph. The Japanese slugger also hit his first triple of the season in the first on a drive to center with an exit velocity of 101.1 mph.
But he struck out swinging in the fourth, and struck out again in the seventh with a runner on second base and no outs.
“To be honest, when I look back at my at-bats today, I can’t really tell you how I feel,” Suzuki said. “It was more that play in the second inning, that play in right field, that drove my emotions throughout the game. It was a move I should have made, and it took its toll on the team.”
The Cubs are hoping to bounce back this month after hitting .217 and averaging 3.5 runs per game while going 10-18 in May. A resurgent Suzuki could go a long way in solving the team’s lineup issues.
The 29-year-old Suzuki hit .285 with 20 home runs and 74 RBIs last year in his second season in the majors. He got off to a solid start this year, hitting .305 with three home runs and 13 RBIs in his first 15 games, but strained his right oblique during a 3-2 win at Seattle on April 14.
Seiya Suzuki of the Chicago Cubs begins celebrating his grand slam off Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Hunter Greene during the second inning of a baseball game on Saturday, June 1, 2024, in Chicago.
Suzuki hasn’t been the same since returning on May 11, hitting .219 (16 for 73) in his last 18 games entering Saturday night.
“He has the ability to change the game at any time,” Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson said. “He is so talented and so gifted. You know a lot of people can hang their heads after something like that would happen, but he obviously came right back and responded in the way that we all know he’s capable of.
