Cubs, Reds involved in brief bench-clearing incident

CINCINNATI -- Frustrations boiled over for Chicago Cubs infielder Javier Baez on Saturday afternoon, as he and Cincinnati Reds reliever Amir Garrett exchanged words that led to the benches clearing after Garrett struck out Baez to end the seventh inning of the Reds' 5-4, 11-inning victory.

Garrett celebrated striking out Baez by letting out a "roar" and staring the hitter down. Both benches, plus the bullpens, came to home plate, where some pushing and shoving occurred, but no punches were thrown and no one was ejected.

"He stared at me," Baez said of Garrett. "He's frustrated because I got a homer off him last year. A grand slam. Four RBIs. Right now, anyone can strike me out because I'm struggling. I'm frustrated because I'm trying to get better. Just keep trying and trying."

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Baez hit a grand slam off Garrett on May 18, 2017.

Garrett thought he remembered Baez hitting a home run off him last year and said striking Baez out on Saturday is no big deal.

"That's just how the game goes. He got me, I got him, so we're even," Garrett said. "We're gonna have plenty of more matchups going forward. There's no hard feelings. Like I said, I love the way he plays the game, I love the way he carries his business. He's very flashy, and I love that. I love all of it. But like I said, you dish it, you gotta take it."

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he felt the Reds reliever's reaction might have been a bit too much.

"[Garrett] let out a Lion King's type of a roar," Maddon said. "I'm certain if he continues with that method, that's going to happen more often ... The Lion King should be reserved for Broadway or possibly a movie theater."

That was just Game 1 of a day/night doubleheader between the teams, and it was a game Maddon dubbed one of his "least favorite."

"We had so many chances to take control of that game and did not," a frustrated Maddon said afterward. "It was not a good game. One of my worst sitting in that dugout."

The Cubs went just 1-for-16 with runners in scoring position. According to ESPN Stats & Information, that's the worst percentage by any team this season with at least 15 at-bats in that situation. Baez went 0-for-5 with two strikeouts before being double-switched out of the game after he didn't run out a hard-hit ground ball to second base in the top of the ninth inning.

"They usually shift me to the right side, and I hit it right to him," Baez said. "At that moment, there were so many things in my head. That's why I didn't run down the line. It's my fault. I'm the one that looks bad."

The Cubs played a sloppy game, highlighted by Anthony Rizzo's failing to slide on a force play at second base and Baez's not running. And then there were all those stranded runners. It has been an off-and-on trend for the team for quite some time. To top it off, sometimes maligned relieverJustin Wilsonwalked three batters in the 11th inning, including light-hitting Billy Hamilton with the bases loaded to force in the winning run.

"I didn't command my fastball like I had been," Wilson said. "It's been good the last few outings, just didn't command it today."

"We had that game so many other ways before that," Maddon said. "We have to do a much better job than we did today. That was one of my least favorite games as a Cubs manager.

"If you want to break it down: late game in Atlanta [on Thursday], late game last night [rain delay]. It has something to do with it. But I also believe more consistent hitting provides the energy. Overall, there is some frustration with some guys at the plate. That's what we have to get beyond."

Baez is the poster child for that frustration. After a hot start to his season -- he still leads the NL in RBIs -- he has cooled off. On the Cubs' current road trip, Baez is 2-for-22. He hasn't drawn an unintentional walk since April 7.

"I'm not that lost at the plate," he said. "Things are not going my way. Trying to get a hit. I'm not doing it, so I get frustrated. That's not me. I play hard every day. I just keep trying harder, harder and harder. You just have to slow the game down."

Maddon said he talked with Baez about how he's playing after he failed to run to first base. The manager doesn't want Baez's offensive woes affecting the rest of his game -- or his temperament. Those woes undoubtedly led to the benches clearing as well as Baez's frustration toward Garrett after the game.

"If you're going to show someone up, at least man up and stay there or walk this way," Baez said. "If you want to fight, you're in the wrong sport."