Jameson Taillon pitched seven strong innings in his second consecutive win, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 1-0 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Friday in the first game of their final series of the season.
Taillon (12-8) gave up four hits, struck out two batters, and walked two on a windy, cloudy afternoon at Wrigley Field. In his last six starts with the Cubs, he went 4-0 with a 1.63 ERA.
“I had a little bit of a rough patch there in like early, mid-August,” Taillon said. “To be able to bounce back from that and finish strong is a good feeling.”
Tyson Miller got three outs before Porter Hodge completed the game for his eighth save, allowing just four hits.
The game lasted 1 hour and 48 minutes, making it the fastest nine-inning game in the majors since Armando Galarraga nearly threw a perfect game for Detroit against Cleveland on June 2, 2010. That game took 1 hour and 44 minutes.
It was also the quickest nine-inning game for the Cubs since they won 3-0 against the Reds in 1 hour and 48 minutes on May 24, 2001, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“That was quick, yeah. That was nice,” a smiling Taillon said after his 200th career start. “Hit it into the wind. Good luck.”
Chicago (82-78) secured a winning season and improved to 4-7 against Cincinnati this year. The Cubs started the season with hopes of making the playoffs under new manager Craig Counsell, but injuries and an inconsistent lineup hurt their chances.
Cincinnati (76-84) lost despite a great performance from Nick Martinez (10-7), who pitched a complete game, allowing five hits. He went 4-1 with a 0.83 ERA in five starts in September.
“Didn’t have a great feel for my changeup today,” Martinez said. “So knowing what the wind is doing, I kind of played to the elements and at times tried to see how far they can hit it, knowing that it’s going to be a benefit for me.”
