Stephenson's Three-Run Blast Breaks Chicago's Back in 9-8 Thriller
Tyler Stephenson's 393-foot home run to left center in the fourth inning swung Chicago's win probability from 43% to 15% and turned a tied game into a four-run Cincinnati lead that ultimately held. The Reds survived a furious late Chicago comeback to win 9-8, with Eugenio Suarez and Sal Stewart each going deep in a game that looked like it was over twice before it actually was.
Cincinnati came out swinging from the first pitch. Stewart launched a 419-foot shot to left, then Suarez followed with a 359-foot homer that scored Stephenson, and just like that the Reds were up 3-0 before Chicago had recorded three outs. The White Sox answered immediately — Grichuk doubled home Meidroth to make it 3-1, and then the second inning turned ugly for Cincinnati. Meidroth hit a ground rule double to score Antonacci, and Grichuk came right back with another double to right, this time plating both Acuña and Meidroth. Chicago had flipped a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead inside two innings, and the game looked like it had completely changed hands.
It hadn't. Suarez tied it with a sacrifice fly in the third, and then the fourth inning is where this game was decided. Stewart singled home Hayes to put Cincinnati back in front, and then Stephenson crushed one 393 feet to left center, scoring De La Cruz and Stewart with it. That three-run shot pushed the lead to 8-4 and swung Chicago's win probability from 43% to 15% — a 27-point collapse in a single swing. That's the story of the night, and it belongs entirely to Stephenson, who finished 2-for-3 with a homer, 3 RBI, and 2 runs scored. Suarez was right there with him: 1-for-3, a homer, and 4 RBI. Stewart quietly had the most complete line of anyone — 2-for-3, a homer, 2 RBI, and 4 runs scored.
Chicago refused to go quietly, which at least made the ninth inning interesting. Quero — who finished 3-for-5 with 2 RBI — singled home B. Montgomery in the ninth to cut it to 9-8, and the White Sox had the tying run on base. It wasn't enough. Grichuk was the best Chicago had to offer on the night, going 2-for-3 with 3 RBI, and Meidroth added 2 hits and 2 runs, but the White Sox bullpen situation looks like it contributed heavily to the collapse — Andrew Abbott gave up 5 earned runs in 4.1 innings for Cincinnati, yet the Reds still won by a run. That's a testament to how thoroughly the Cincinnati lineup buried Chicago early, and how decisive Stephenson's fourth-inning blast really was.