For most of the game, this one kinda felt like a laugher that made all the empty seats at Great American Ball Park seem almost normal. The non-existent fans who left early would have been kicking themselves as the Cubs bullpen almost coughed up a 7-0 lead, lowlighted by an implosion after earlier miscues prompted a save situation. Jeremy Jeffress finally locked down a nervous 9th inning as the Cubs took the opener 8-7.
Jon Lester showed no signs decline in the first start of his age-36 season, no-hitting the Reds through five innings before handing the ball over to his bullpen to finish things off.