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Reds have a statement day in Jonathan India’s two-homer game vs. Cubs

CHICAGO –– As Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India rounded first base, he pointed to the dugout. He carried a big smile as he sprinted around second and third. He flexed for third base coach JR House. When India touched home on his go-ahead home run in the fifth inning on Saturday, he slapped Reds shortstop Matt McLain’s helmet and put his arm around the rookie.

At Wrigley Field, the Reds beat the Chicago Cubs, 8-5. The Reds took the series over their division rivals, and they ended the game tied for third place in the NL Central. India looked especially fired up about this homer as the Reds took a one-run lead, and he clubbed another home run in the seventh inning as the Reds pulled away.

After India hit his second homer, he shrugged like Michael Jordan in Jordan’s town.

Last year, the Reds’ season was virtually over in April. This year, the Reds are in the mix in the division as the calendar turns to June.

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It’s been a few years since games like Saturday’s went the Reds’ way. The Cubs clobbered Reds starting pitcher Brandon Williamson early in the game and took an early 4-1 lead. Williamson only pitched 4 ⅓ innings, and the Reds had another game where they needed the bullpen to cover the bulk of the innings.

In 2023, the players on the Reds’ roster have spoken about grit and toughness so much that it’s become a cliché. But even though their rotation is struggling, their defense isn’t good and they’re rarely hitting home runs, the Reds keep finding ways to win.

The new-look top of the Reds’ lineup sparked the comeback. Center fielder TJ Friedl, who slammed into the brick outfield wall in the first inning as he tried to make a leaping catch, walked and stole second base. McLain drove in Friedl with a flare, opposite field single. Then India capped off the three-run inning with his home run that gave the Reds a 5-4 lead.

India had five RBIs and two home runs in his best game of the season. Last year, India struggled when he specifically tried to hit for power. This year, with a line drive approach and a more natural swing, India is playing the best baseball of his young career.

Takeaways from Reds vs. Cubs

1. The Reds’ hustle on the bases was the offense’s best weapon on Saturday. In the third inning, Friedl made an aggressive read and turned a single into a double, which gave him the shot to score on a single by India. Friedl’s stolen base changed the course of the fifth inning. Reds right fielder Stuart Fairchild beat the throw to first on a ground ball to avoid a double play in the sixth inning, which extended the inning and gave Reds catcher Curt Casali a shot for his RBI single.

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2. Reds manager David Bell made the aggressive decision to pull Williamson after the starting pitcher allowed his first base runner in the fifth inning. Williamson located his pitches well, but the Cubs made hard contact against pitches that didn’t even land in the strike zone. Still, Williamson wasn’t keeping the Cubs’ hitters guessing, so Bell went to reliever Buck Farmer to finish the fifth inning. Farmer immediately forced a double play to end the frame.

3. Friedl made one of the slickest heads up plays of the Reds’ season. With a runner on first base in the sixth inning and one out, Cubs third baseman Patrick Wisdom hit a high fly ball to center field. Friedl pretended that he couldn’t see the ball and stuck his hands up in the air. After Friedl made the routine catch, he threw over to first for an inning-ending double play.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds have a statement day in Jonathan India’s two-homer game vs. Cubs