Michael Conforto comes through in a pinch as streaking Cubs rally in 9th for 5-4 win over Reds
Cubs secure a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Reds thanks to Conforto's late homer!

The Baltimore Orioles suffered a 12-1 loss to the New York Yankees, completing a four-game sweep. The Orioles were outscored by 29 runs in the series and have now lost five straight games by at least five runs, marking a franchise record.
NEW YORK — If this series was a litmus test for the Baltimore Orioles, the results came back with a conclusive answer.
The Orioles — at least right now — are nowhere close to being in the same ballpark as the New York Yankees.
Baltimore on Monday lost 12-1 to New York, as the Orioles were once again outplayed by the Yankees in every facet of the game to suffer a four-game series sweep. The Orioles lost all four games by at least five runs and were outscored by 29 runs in the series. The Orioles have lost five straight games by at least five runs, which is the longest streak in franchise history.
They played 36 innings and never held a lead.
Like Sunday’s 11-3 loss, Monday’s contest turned into a laugher because of a blowup inning by a reliever. This time, it was newcomer Lou Trivino, who gave up six runs in the eighth. It was so bad that Weston Wilson, a position player, had to enter to record the final out of the frame.
The Orioles, losers of five straight, were a .500 ballclub four days ago. Now, they’re 15-20 — a season-worst five games below .500 — and nine games back of the American League-best Yankees (24-11).
Making Monday’s loss even more alarming is that it was perhaps the best game the team played in the series. The offense finally wasn’t lifeless, recording 10 hits and putting runners on in most innings against Yankees starter Cam Schlitter. The defense, while still bad, wasn’t debilitating to the pitching staff like it was in the first three games. And Shane Baz completed five innings for the first time by an Orioles starter this series.
But the bats couldn’t come through in the clutch, and several small mistakes helped the Yankees score their runs.
The Orioles went 0 for 7 with runners in scoring position and left 10 men on base. In the third and fifth innings, the Orioles’ first two hitters singled to reach base, but the next batter (first Adley Rutschman, then Blaze Alexander) grounded into a double play to kill the rally and the following hitter got out to strand the runner on third.
The final score was 12-1 in favor of the New York Yankees.
The Orioles lost all four games in the series against the Yankees.
The Orioles have now lost five straight games by at least five runs, which is the longest streak in franchise history.
Reliever Lou Trivino gave up six runs in the eighth inning, leading to the blowout loss.
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The Yankees, like they have all series, got out to an early lead. This time, it was thanks to a two-run homer from Aaron Judge. But earlier in the at-bat, Judge took what would have been strike three if catcher Adley Rutschman or Baz had challenged. A few pitches later, Judge took Baz deep to center field.
In the third, Cody Bellinger drove in a run on a sacrifice fly to put New York up 3-0, but the run was unearned because of an error from center fielder Leody Taveras earlier in the inning. On a Trent Grisham double, Taveras’ throw to cutoff man Gunnar Henderson was short, and Henderson’s attempt to pick the ball knocked it away, allowing Grisham to take third and later score.
The Orioles loaded the bases in the sixth as Schlitter lost his command, and Colton Cowser, who reached base in each of his first three plate appearances, walked in Baltimore’s lone run of the night. But Yankees manager Aaron Boone brought in righty reliever Jake Bird, who struck out Jeremiah Jackson to end the threat.
Orioles skipper Craig Albernaz left Baz in for the sixth, and the Yankees added three more runs against him — all with two outs, a theme during the series. The first scored on a wild pitch that was originally ruled as an out at the plate, but the replay review showed that Jasson Domínguez’s hand barely beat Baz’s tag. Ryan McMahon then singled and José Caballero doubled off reliever Yennier Cano to put the Yankees up 6-1. The game then unraveled in the eighth when Trivino entered.
The Orioles will exit the Big Apple as quickly as possible to head to Miami for a pivotal three-game series, hoping to erase this series from their minds. Their season could hang in the balance over the next three days against the Marlins.
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