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Cincinnati Reds closer Emilio Pagán injured his left hamstring after just one pitch in the ninth inning against the Cubs, leading to his exit from the game. The Reds lost to the Cubs in extra innings, marking their fourth consecutive loss.
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CHICAGO – One night after shouldering the blame for a blown save that cost the Cincinnati Reds a heartbreaking loss, closer Emilio Pagán managed just one pitch in the ninth inning May 5 at Wrigley Field, then fell to the grass in pain, clutching his left hamstring.
Pagán, who missed a couple games in mid-April for tightness in the same hamstring, was carted off the field on his way to joining four other key Reds pitchers on the injured list – turning a rainy, ugly, losing road trip into an especially painful one for a team was in first place when they opened the trip Friday in Pittsburgh.
Rookie Jose Franco took over for Pagán in a 2-2 game and 1-0 count on Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner, then followed with three straight balls to tag Pagán with the leadoff walk.
May 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner (2) hits a single against the Cincinnati Reds during the fourth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images
Despite another walk to Reds-killer Ian Happ in the inning, Franco escaped the short-notice jam by retiring $175 million , $85 million and $177 million to nudge the game to extra innings -– where the Reds lost in the 10th on a single bounced up the middle by that shortstop couldn't handle.
Emilio Pagán suffered a left hamstring injury after throwing just one pitch in the ninth inning.
The Reds lost to the Cubs in extra innings, marking their fourth straight loss.
Pagán's injury adds to the Reds' challenges as he joins four other key pitchers on the injured list.

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Final score: Cubs 3, Reds 2.
It was their third consecutive one-run loss, dropping them to 12-3 in games decided by two or fewer runs.
Reds starter Andrew Abbott has lowered his ERA by nearly a point and a half in his last two starts since it stood at a season-high 6.59 through six.
Five days after beating the Rockies with six strong innings (two runs), he retired the first six Cubs he faced, eight of the first nine and took a 2-0 lead into the sixth before a two-out walk, single and another walk loaded the bases.
That ended Abbott's outing, which Connor Phillips kept scoreless by retiring Moises Ballesteros on a comebacker.
But a one-out single by Pete Crow-Armstrong turned into a run when Crow-Armstrong stole second and scored on Bregman's single.
Busch's solo home run to right off Tony Santillan with one out in the eighth tied it.
The Reds got solo home runs from JJ Bleday in the first and Nathaniel Lowe in the sixth for the 2-0 lead.
Reds left fielder JJ Bleday hits his second home run in as many games Tuesday at Wrigley Field.
It was Bleday's second home run in as many days, third in four games and fourth since he was called up for a big-league season debut on April 26.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Emilio Pagán injured as Reds lose to Cubs in extra innings