\n<\/p>\n
Ryan Rolison <\/b>doesn\u2019t have his own entrance music, like Daddy Yankee\u2019s \u201cGasolina,\u201d which heralded Cubs closer Danny Palencia\u2019s <\/b>walk to the mound Tuesday night at Wrigley Field for the first time since April 12.<\/p>\n
Music? Until three weeks ago, Rolison didn\u2019t even have a roof over his head in Chicago. He was pitching at Triple-A Iowa after the White Sox claimed him off waivers in January.<\/p>\n
But it was Rolison, not Palencia, who struck out two in a scoreless 10th inning Tuesday before the Cubs won their seventh straight game and second straight in walk-off fashion, downing the Reds 3-2.<\/p>\n
And it was Rolison, not Palencia, who struck out five consecutive batters \u2014 three in the ninth inning of a 5-4 win Monday, then the first two he faced Tuesday \u2014 to claim the victory in both games. Going back to his outing Saturday against the Diamondbacks, Rolison had set down seven straight batters on strikes.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not normal to have [8 2\/3 innings] with this new team and have four of your appearances be in huge situations,\u201d manager Craig Counsell<\/b> said. \u201cI don\u2019t think that\u2019s normal, but that\u2019s the situation he\u2019s been put in.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think, in a lot of ways, Ryan might tell you he\u2019s been waiting a long time for this opportunity. And sometimes that\u2019s what making a career for yourself is about. You got a shot, you get an opportunity. And he\u2019s done a heck off a job taking advantage of an opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Meanwhile, the Reds, losers of five straight, lost their closer, Emilio Pagan<\/b>, when he blew out his left hamstring and dropped to the ground after his first pitch to Nico Hoerner<\/b> in the ninth. Further evaluation is coming, but Pagan is likely to miss extended time.<\/p>\n
The Cubs have won 13 straight at Wrigley, burnishing what was already the best home record in baseball to 16-5. They have won five games on walk-offs, with five different players accounting for the deciding hit.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat\u2019s a great representation of what we\u2019ve been talking about, how much the bench guys have produced and how we can produce up and down the lineup,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cThat\u2019s a cool stat, absolutely. That\u2019s a really cool stat.\u201d<\/p>\n
Michael Busch<\/b> offered deliverance Tuesday, first with a majestic 427-foot home run deep into the right-field seats to tie the score at 2 in the eighth, then with a bouncing ball up the middle that handcuffed Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz<\/b> and continued into center for the game-winning single.<\/p>\n
Dansby Swanson\u2019s <\/b>decision to dash for third factored into De La Cruz\u2019s inability to make the play, Counsell said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis aggressiveness put De La Cruz in a bad situation, almost,\u201d Counsell said. \u201cHis feet got a little tangled up as to where they\u2019d normally be on a routine ground ball to shortstop.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n