Bellinger squandered runners on first and third base in the fifth inning Wednesday night at Tropicana Field, striking out on four pitches to end the frame with the Chicago Cubs trailing the Tampa Bay Rays by one run. So when he stepped to the plate in the seventh, again with two outs and two on base, Bellinger was determined to take advantage of the moment.

Bellinger got all of lefty Garrett Cleavinger’s 1-2 cutter down in the zone, turning on it for a go-ahead, three-run home run to right field. Tyson Miller and Drew Smyly combined for 3 1/3 scoreless innings and Héctor Neris bounced back from surrendering a walk-off home run the night before to secure the 4-3 victory.

“Three-run homers change games, and that swing certainly changed the game,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It was a big swing at a time we needed that held up.”

The Cubs have been stung during this rough offensive stretch with hard-hit balls finding leather or dying at the warning track. Seiya Suzuki was finally on the right side of luck, tying the game in the fourth on his home run to center field. Right-hander Javier Assad allowed two runs and five hits in 4 2/3 innings.

“It definitely felt amazing,” Bellinger said of his home run. “I was just frustrated with my previous at-bat and got another opportunity … really just kind of just locked in and tried to get the job done.

“Definitely relieves the pressure. We’ve hit a lot of balls hard right at people and it’s kind of how it goes when things aren’t going your way and to have a big one right there go over the fence feels really good.”

Neris had an adventurous ninth inning en route to his 10th save. He gave up a one-out solo home run and had runners on second and third when Brandon Lowe, the Rays’ walk-off hero Tuesday, was up with two outs. This time Neris bested Lowe, forcing him to fly out to end the game.

Wednesday’s victory represented their 27th one-run game (13-14) on a night the Cubs’ batting order featured a noticeably different look at the top.

Third baseman Christopher Morel hit leadoff for the first time this season with Michael Busch slotting into the No. 2 spot, the highest he’s batted this year. Counsell lined up Bellinger and Suzuki in the Nos. 3 and 4 positions in the order while Ian Happ batted fifth.

It appeared to work for the night as the Cubs (33-35) defeated the Rays.

The revamped batting order quickly put pressure on Rays starter Aaron Civale, loading the bases in the first inning behind Busch’s one-out single, Suzuki’s two-out single and Ian Happ’s four-pitch walk. Their struggles with runners in scoring position remained as Nico Hoerner grounded out to end the inning.

“Really just seeing how all that rolls,” Counsell said of the lineup changes. “(Morel’s) been as good as anyone and for us, the ball-strike and getting on base and creating walks and making good swing decisions. It’s been a step forward, I think we’ve all seen that. It just puts that threat right at the start of the lineup and at the start of the game of a guy that can hurt you and then also get on base.”

Suzuki hit a solo home run in the fourth inning off Civale to tie the game at 1. He went 2-for-4 while Busch went 2-for-3 in the new order.

“Look, we’re playing the same guys, everybody’s going to hit four times, but yeah it’s a little bit guys are walking up (to the plate) at different times,” Counsell said. “You’re trying to put guys in spots to succeed that makes sense and maybe gives some guys a different look.

“We try to make decisions that have reasons behind them, a process behind them. Sometimes they don’t work, and I don’t have an explanation. But really it’s because it’s competition, the other side is trying to beat you and that’s part of it.”

Hoerner was back in the starting lineup for the first time since last Thursday when he sustained a fracture in his right hand. The Cubs will continue to monitor his hand as the days progress. Counsell expects to get feedback Thursday on how Hoerner feels after swinging a bat in game action Wednesday for the first time since the injury occurred. Doctors previously told Hoerner and the team that he is not expected to worsen the fracture by playing, but he might have to manage pain.

“I don’t know what to expect really,” Counsell said. “It could be nothing, could be something. We’re going to have to see what’s going on.

“He does dive a lot, we see that so he hasn’t had any problems doing that. Sometimes you can feel that stuff just in everyday life, getting out of bed or whatever, really there’s been nothing he’s mentioned.”

Riot Fest announced Wednesday that it is moving to SeatGeek Stadium in the southwest suburb. The music festival will run from Sept. 20-22 — conflicting with the Sept. 21 Red Stars-San Diego Wave match. The decision drew ire from Red Stars leadership, which is now scrambling to find a new home for a nationally broadcast match in a whiplash moment only days after drawing a league-record crowd for a match at Wrigley Field.

“It’s devastating,” team President Karen Leetzow told the Tribune. “It’s devastating to have to go from that kind of a high to this kind of a low, to tell your staff and players that this is the level of respect we’ve gotten immediately after delivering that event.”

Bridgeview mayor Steven Landek first informed the Red Stars in early May of a potential need to vacate the stadium for the Sept. 21 game. Following an initial conversation, the Red Stars never received a follow-up or logistical support from the mayor’s office, even after reaching out for clarification, sources told the Tribune. The Red Stars found out Bridgeview was moving forward with plans to use the stadium on that date when a lawyer with Riot Fest reached out to the club earlier this month in regards to signing a contract with the village. The Tribune left a message for Landek seeking comment on the situation.

The current lease allows for SeatGeek and the city to host ancillary events at the same time as Red Stars games. However, the lease specifies that the stadium must be available for the specified use, which includes parking and accessibility to the stadium. The scope of Riot Fest raises other concerns — for instance, how noise pollution from a multistage festival could interfere with the ability of a referee to officiate the game as well as the safety of players, staff and fans coming and going to the stadium — that led the Red Stars to feel it would be impossible to host the previously scheduled game.

As of Wednesday, the Red Stars had not received any information on the logistics of how the events would be able to coexist on match day or even how Riot Fest planned to use the space.

The Red Stars have not located a new venue for the match and aren’t certain they will have an appropriate replacement on the same date. The Cubs play host to the Nationals on Sept. 21 at Wrigley Field while the White Sox will be on a six-game swing in California, leaving Guaranteed Rate Field unoccupied. Neither the Bears nor Fire plays at Soldier Field on that date, but sources told the Tribune that the Red Stars have been informed the stadium will not be available. Even if the Red Stars find an appropriate replacement venue, the cost could be prohibitively steep.

If the Red Stars are able to find a new location for the game, the club would want fees and costs to relocate and broadcast the match nationally to come from the involved parties forcing their game out of the stadium. But the club has not received any assurances that either party would contribute to mitigate these costs, sources told the Tribune.

The game holds heightened stakes for the Red Stars and the NWSL as it is slated for a national broadcast on Ion. This complicates the logistics for use of the parking lot amid the festival. Only five of the remaining Red Stars regular-season games are scheduled for a national broadcast.

“It is unfair and unfortunate to have our club put in this situation, shining a light on the vast discrepancies in the treatment of women’s professional sports versus men’s professional sports,” Leetzow said in a statement. “We are committed to ensuring our players and fans have a first-rate experience on and off the pitch, and we are working diligently to find a solution that will ensure our September 21st game is a success.”

The conflict comes at a turning point for the Red Stars, who on Saturday drew a league-record 35,038 fans at Wrigley Field for a match against Bay FC.

Photos: Chicago Red Stars set NWSL attendance record at Wrigley Field

The Red Stars have played at SeatGeek since 2016. The stadium’s distance from the city center and lack of transit access have been key points of criticism for the franchise as the team continues to slip behind competitors in attendance. The Chicago Fire in 2019 paid more than $60 million to leave SeatGeek for Soldier Field.

The Red Stars’ SeatGeek lease will expire at the end of 2025. New ownership helmed by Cubs co-owner Laura Ricketts has made it clear that relocating the franchise to a stadium inside the city limits is a driving goal for the organization.

Riot Fest — which will be headlined by Beck, Public Enemy, the Marley Brothers and Fall Out Boy — had been a source of contention for residents in North Lawndale since its relocation to Douglass Park in 2015, and before that with locals in Humboldt Park since 2012.

Step 1: Put runners on base, which Tuesday night at Tropicana Field meant finishing with double-digit hits for the third consecutive game.

Step 2: Repeatedly struggle and fail to take advantage of opportunities with runners in scoring position, a constant since the start of May with a .179 average in such situations. No other MLB team in that span is hitting below .200. Not even the 17-51 White Sox, who sit at .225.

Step 3: Squandered offensive chances leave the Cubs pitching staff with little margin for error. The Cubs’ 26 one-run games lead the majors, and they again found themselves clinging to a one-run advantage entering the ninth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Step 4: A painful loss filled with what-ifs that leaves the Cubs (32-35) still trying to build momentum as mid-June approaches.

The Rays tagged closer Héctor Neris with four runs in the bottom of the ninth, handing the Cubs a 5-2 loss on Brandon Lowe’s walk-off, three-run home run.

“We had a bunch of singles today really and we had some balls hit well kind of to the wall and not enough,” manager Craig Counsell said. “But two runs, you’re not going to win most nights scoring two runs for sure so we’ve got to do more offensively.

“There’s some good signs, it’s a bunch of hits. Some balls well hit for outs, but two runs ain’t gonna cut it.”

Lowe got around on Neris’ full-count splitter with two outs to pull it over the right-field wall. It marked the first walk-off home run Neris has surrendered since April 23, 2021, at Colorado when he was with the Philadelphia Phillies.

“You want to do everything and it’s not your day,” Neris said. “I just want to be focused on getting my three outs. As soon as we got the tied game, leave the game like that. But it wasn’t the day today, focus on tomorrow.”

Christopher Morel’s home run in the fourth, his 13th of the season, put the Cubs ahead, and they added a run in the sixth on David Bote’s pinch-hit RBI single. The seventh was filled with near runs after Miguel Amaya opened the inning with a walk. Mike Tauchman barreled a 383-foot flyout that would have been a home run at Wrigley Field. Seiya Suzuki scorched a 106.6-mph lineout that had a .720 expected average. Cody Bellinger followed with a double, but Amaya wasn’t able to score from first. Morel struck out on three pitches to end the inning.

Right-hander Jameson Taillon tossed six shutout innings while limiting the Rays to four hits.

“I mean, it’s tough. We kind of did some of the same stuff last year,” Taillon said. “We’re in a lot of games and the close ones hurt even more, because you were right there, but that’s baseball. You just show up tomorrow and try to get them to start turning your way. Great group of guys, everyone works really hard.

“When push comes to shove with runners in scoring position — I know these guys are prepared. I know everyone’s putting themselves in the best position to succeed and that’s why I’m confident that this whole team is going to come together and start knocking out wins.”

For as many veteran hitters as the Cubs have in their lineup, the group must collectively be better and alleviate pressure on their pitchers. Signs have emerged over the last week of hitters individually becoming locked in, including Dansby Swanson and Seiya Suzuki, but big hits with runners in scoring position still elude the Cubs despite ample chances. The Cubs’ 365 plate appearances with RISP dating to May 1 are seventh-most in the majors in that span yet their 94 total runs put them 25th and their wRC+ is last.

“There’s no question, if we want to score more runs, we’re going to have to have offense in those spots,” Counsell said.

The Cubs can’t wait for external additions to help get them on track. If this is going to be a playoff team, they need their core group of hitters to start coming through more frequently in prime run-scoring moments. Counsell believes it will happen despite this challenging six-week stretch. The Cubs are fortunate only four teams are above .500 in the National League. But the rest of this season can’t play out like last year, otherwise a long, challenging summer will leave president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer facing more tough questions in October.

Brown landed on the 15-day injured list Tuesday because of a neck strain, a move that is retroactive to Sunday. The Chicago Cubs activated right-hander Colten Brewer from the IL as the corresponding move. Brown returned to Chicago for further testing on the left side of his neck. Manager Craig Counsell said Brown had been battling the issue for the last couple of weeks.

“We’ve got to figure out what’s going on,” said Counsell, who said there wasn’t one specific incident that caused Brown’s neck injury.

Brown, 24, has posted a 2.68 ERA in his 14 games (eight starts) since his rough MLB debut March 30. He wasn’t as efficient in his last two starts when he was tagged for five runs in five innings against the Reds on June 2 and allowed three runs on two home runs in his last outing Saturday in Cincinnati. The three home runs given up between his two most recent starts (nine innings) were more than he previously surrendered (two) in his first 13 games (46 1/3 innings).

Left-hander Jordan Wicks, who threw a bullpen Tuesday, would be the obvious choice to take Brown’s spot in the rotation. In his first career relief appearance Saturday, Wicks threw 52 pitches in 3 1/3 innings, allowing one run and three hits.

The Cubs, though, appear to have avoided losing their second baseman to the IL.

While Nico Hoerner wasn’t in the starting lineup again Tuesday, he went through an extensive hitting session pregame. If his fractured right hand does not swell Wednesday, Counsell is optimistic Hoerner will start that night.

Hoerner hasn’t been in the lineup since getting hit on his right hand during a check swing Thursday at Great American Ball Park. He was used as a pinch runner in the ninth inning Friday but otherwise hasn’t played since sustaining a small fracture in his hand. The Cubs could have put him on the IL Tuesday and taken advantage of the three-day window to make the move retroactive, which would sideline him for a minimum of seven more days.

But the Cubs are confident Hoerner could return Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Rays and be able to play without his hand hindering him. Doctors told them there was a very slim chance he could worsen his facture by playing. Counsell said before the game he felt comfortable using Hoerner off the bench Tuesday night if needed, which he did. Hoerner entered the game as a defensive replacement at second base to start the bottom of the seventh inning.

“He had significant swelling in there so trying to get rid of that, we’re three days in and the off day obviously helped with that,” Counsell said. “He didn’t do any hitting activities for three days.”

Although they again didn’t fully capitalize on their opportunities Sunday at Great American Ball Park, left fielder Ian Happ’s three-run double in the first inning off Cincinnati Reds starter Frankie Montas gave the Cubs an early cushion as they held on for a 4-2 victory.

The Cubs (32-34) finished 2-for-15 with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base, but they got the win they desperately needed to avoid a four-game sweep.

Miscues in seemingly small moments have turned into game-affecting sequences that hurt the Cubs during their slide, including this series. Happ, though, delivered a well-executed throw to second base with the Reds threatening in the seventh with two on and nobody out to derail a potential big inning.

Santiago Espinal’s RBI single cut the Cubs lead to two, and he tried to stretch out a double that would have put runners on second and third. Instead, Happ’s outfield assist to David Bote notched the first out, and the next two Reds struck out to end the inning.

“At that point you’re fighting 27 outs,” Happ said, “so when you can get one there, kill the momentum a little bit, puts us in a spot where we have a guy coming out of the bullpen that can strike somebody out, that can have the ability to get out of that without allowing another run, it’s huge. Two-run lead versus one-run lead is a big deal.”

The Cubs are off Monday before beginning a three-game road series against the Tampa Bay Rays. Here are three takeaways from Sunday’s game.

1. Shota Imanaga returned to form.

The Cubs fully expected Imanaga to be challenged at some point after an electric beginning to his big-league career.

Coming off two rough outings versus the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago White Sox in which Imanaga surrendered 12 runs (eight earned) in 8 2/3 innings, he regained his form Sunday. Imanaga held the Reds to two runs and five hits in 6 2/3 innings while walking one and striking out seven on 94 pitches.

“Obviously it feels good to win. The most important thing is the team winning,” Imanaga said through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “And then I would say the second thing would be the game that I pitched helped the team win. I was able to do that today, so it feels good.”

Imanaga has issued only 11 walks this season, the fewest by a Cubs pitcher in his first 12 career starts since 1901. Meanwhile, the lefty’s 72 strikeouts trail only Kerry Wood (107 in 1998) and Mark Prior (86 in 2002) for the most by a Cubs starter through 12 career starts since 1901.

The limited walks has been particularly encouraging for Imanaga, even on days he doesn’t have his best stuff, such as his previous two outings. He does well to avoid self-inflicted trouble, allowing one walk or fewer in 10 of his 12 starts.

“(The Reds) were very aggressive early on the fastball, and then as he went through, he sprinkled in some off-speed first pitch,” manager Craig Counsell said. “And once he got ahead of hitters he was really, really good.”

2. Dansby Swanson is heating up.

The Cubs need multiple hitters to get rolling offensively, and with Happ getting locked in over the last 2½ weeks, Swanson appears to be among the hitters in the process of heating up.

In the last three games of the series, Swanson went 6-for-12 with three doubles, one home run and two RBIs. That’s the most hits the shortstop has tallied over a three-game stretch since September.

All while swapping his typical high-socks look for low pants the last three days.

“Just trying to switch things up a little bit, see if we can get some different mojo going,” Swanson said this weekend. “Definitely been putting in the work and so it’s nice to be able to see some rewards.”

With second baseman Nico Hoerner’s availability this week uncertain as the Cubs weigh a stint on the injured list due to a fracture in his right hand and with inconsistent offensive production elsewhere in the lineup, Swanson stepping up and providing power in the process could provide a boost for a still-searching offense.

3. The Mark Leiter Jr.-Héctor Neris combo continues to provide stability.

The Cubs entered the season feeling comfortable with their mix of relief options for high-leverage, late-inning spots.

Injuries to Adbert Alzolay and Julian Merryweather have forced Counsell to get creative at times in the eighth and ninth innings. But the presence of right-handers Mark Leiter Jr. and Héctor Neris gives the Cubs at least two reliable options, and so far both have thrived.

Leiter entered in the seventh to replace Imanaga and struck out Jake Fraley to strand a runner at third. He followed that with a scoreless eighth, and Neris followed with a perfect ninth to lock down the win.

“By nature, their jobs, they pitch in close games a lot, but we’ve probably given them less room for air than most and that’s hard pitching like that,” Counsell said. “But they’ve done a good job and both have stepped up and got big outs in big moments in both situations.

“It’s never too big for either of them. They’re always in the moment very well. I think it showed up today.”

Leiter has nine holds and has struck out 31.5% of the batters he has faced, while Neris is 9-for-11 in save opportunities.

“Everyone here, we have confidence when we come to the mound — we expect to win,” Neris said. “Everybody here is prepared to win. … Today we came in hungry.”

For one more day at least.

Further imaging revealed a small fracture in Hoerner’s right hand, which he suffered Thursday when being hit by a 96.5-mph fastball on a check swing. A couple of doctors provided the Cubs opinions on the injury, and they felt comfortable with Hoerner being OK to continue to play — if the swelling and pain subside.

When that will happen remains unknown as Hoerner was still experiencing both Saturday. It creates a murky timeline for his return to the lineup. He is considered day to day and did not play Saturday in a 4-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds after pinch running in the ninth inning of Friday’s 3-2 defeat. The doctors said the risk is very, very small that Hoerner’s fracture would become from worse from playing.

Manager Craig Counsell compared it to Cody Bellinger’s situation this season with his two rib fractures.

“All things considered, this is good news, really,” Counsell said. “And we’ll just kind of see where we go.”

The Cubs are weighing whether to put Hoerner on the 10-day injured list. Sunday appears an important day for that determination on top of trying to prevent the Reds from securing a four-game sweep.

Saturday’s loss featured another one-run game, their 25th of the season. The Cubs (31-34) outhit the Reds but went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position and left 12 on base. Dansby Swanson (two doubles, RBI) and David Bote (double, two runs) each had three hits. And as often has happened during this rough stretch, the Cubs nearly rallied late. They scored in the eighth on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s pinch-hit groundout and put runners on first and third with one out in the ninth but failed to bring home the tying run.

“We’ve got to keep fighting for every inch of every game, and that’s the only way to get out of it,” Counsell said. “No one’s going to feel sorry for you and we’re not feeling sorry for ourselves. That’s not what’s happening. We’re not getting the results we want and that always leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth, but we’ve got an opportunity tomorrow to turn the page and do better.”

With 12 losses in their last 16 games, the Cubs are only .001 points ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals for last place in the National League Central as the Milwaukee Brewers remain in the control. The other four division teams are within one game of each other while sitting below .500. Asked if he’s keeping an eye on the standings, Swanson replied, “It’s June.”

“It’s obvious there’s a lot of talent in this division,” Swanson said. “There’s a lot of good pitching, a lot of good position players. Every game seems to be a fight, seems to kind of come down to who can make plays when it matters and I’m looking forward to our day coming soon.”

Hoerner landing on the injured list would be a blow to the Cubs’ continued efforts to get rolling. As of pregame Saturday, Hoerner had not attempted to throw a baseball, and swinging a bat previously bothered him following the injury.

“No matter what the injury is saying when the perfect time to come back from things I think is usually the hardest part of rehab,” Hoerner said. “Whether it’s a two-month thing or a two-week thing or a five-day thing, whatever it is, I think that’s usually the hard conversation. Counsell has done a nice job throughout the year whenever things have popped up with guys communicating how he sees things honestly.

“Obviously you don’t want to be in a position where you’re on the roster and limiting the manager’s options, so we’re going to go day by day and as far as predicting out it’s a little hard to say right now.”

Hoerner felt better Saturday than the day before, noting “it’s nice that there is a sign of opportunity of progress.” However, managing the pain and swelling and knowing how that will play out over the coming days complicates the situation.

“As far as day-to-day pain, I think that is something that you can make worse, unfortunately, so I think being aware of just managing that,” Hoerner said. “But I think that’s going to be more where my head’s at and making sure that I come back at a time that’s as soon as possible but also in a place that’s going to allow me to be a good version of myself and not deal with something that lasts for weeks or months on end.”

The Cubs also were without right fielder Seiya Suzuki in Saturday’s starting lineup. Suzuki remained sore after being hit with Reds catcher Tyler Stephenson’s throw on a successful steal of second base in the first inning Friday.

Suzuki initially remained in the game but was removed in the sixth when his left side tightened up. Counsell was optimistic Suzuki would be back in a day or two, adding he is not dealing with an oblique issue. The bruise is affecting Suzuki’s muscles on his swing.

“He kind of got hit on that side earlier in the week so it’s just kind of multiple shots to the back,” Counsell said. “He should improve pretty rapidly here though.”

Left-hander Justin Steele arguably had his best stuff of the season Friday night against the Cincinnati Reds. He struck out seven and walked one batter in seven largely efficient innings. Steele pitched better than the three runs allowed would indicate, but two misplayed sequences in the fourth led to two costly runs that loomed large in the Chicago Cubs’ 3-2 loss.

Reds speedster Elly De La Cruz evaded David Bote’s tag at second base, swiping his 33rd steal on what should have been a successful pickoff. Steele executed the pickoff throw to first baseman Michael Busch on a call from the dugout. But Busch’s low throw to Bote was enough for De La Cruz to get his hand on the base.

“You have to be perfect with them and the throw was not good enough to get the out,” manager Craig Counsell said. “It was a well pitched game and certainly a game when you get a start like that that you hope to win.”

Busch echoed his manager’s perspective on the play.

“It needed to be a better throw for sure,” Busch said. “The fact that (Steele) ended up with three runs, it was kind of annoying in a sense. I wish I could have made that play for him. That’s a type of outing where he did his job and you don’t ask anything else from him. Just a phenomenal job.”

Moments later, catcher Miguel Amaya couldn’t corral Steele’s low slider on strike three with two outs to allow Spencer Steer to reach first and De La Cruz to advance to third. Tyler Stephenson followed with a go-ahead two-run double before Steele struck out Jonathan India to finally end the inning.

Amaya took responsibility for the mistake.

“It was one of those details that made an impact on the game,” Amaya said through an interpreter. “The pitch broke pretty fast. I was trying to catch it and that’s when I lost it.”

The loss dropped the Cubs (31-33) into a second-place tie with the Reds in the National League Central, 6½ games behind the Milwaukee Brewers.

Steele had the Reds on their heels with his four-seam fastball and slider combination, even mixing in a few changeups. He got 16 swing and misses, including 10 against his slider. He executed well enough in the fourth that it should have resulted in another zero on the scoreboard. Steele didn’t dwell on the plays that should have been made in the inning, though. He told Amaya following the dropped third strike that it wasn’t a big deal, it happens, especially over a long season, and the Cubs need him back out there tomorrow.

“He’s such a good kid, such a good player behind the plate,” Steele said. “This team needs him and he’s going to be so special for us, not just in the near future but in the long haul. That’s the kind of player he is, the kind of personality and makeup that he has.”

Amaya appreciated the encouraging words from Steele.

“It means a lot just to hear that support from him,” Amaya said. “Just keep moving forward, turn the page and just focus on tomorrow.”

Dansby Swanson’s homer in the sixth and Amaya’s RBI double in the ninth produced the Cubs’ only runs. The Cubs have lost 16 of their last 23 games.

“We’re going to find our way,” Swanson said. “Just a little frustrating right now, but at some point, the tide will turn. As a group, we obviously know we’re better, we want better results and are working toward those results. We’re obviously a close knit group and we believe in one another and it’s just a matter of time.”

Right fielder Seiya Suzuki exited the game in the sixth inning with a left side bruise. He had been hit by Stephenson’s throw on a successful stolen base attempt in the first inning. Suzuki remained in the game but again was checked on by Counsell and a team trainer after he swung at a pitch during his at-bat in the top of the fifth. He again stayed on the field, eventually drawing a walk, but was replaced by Mike Tauchman in the bottom of the sixth.

Suzuki said he felt his left oblique tighten up during his last at-bat, and given his two previous oblique strains, he wanted to be precautious and came out of the game. Suzuki had not undergone a thorough evaluation yet after the game so he couldn’t distinguish whether the throw hit him more on bone or muscle.

“If there’s nothing wrong with it, then I want to be out there,” Suzuki said. “But we’ll see how it is tomorrow.”

Cincinnati Reds starter Hunter Greene hit Hoerner with a 96.5-mph pitch on the back of his right hand during the fourth inning of Thursday’s 8-4 loss. Hoerner stayed in the game, though postgame X-rays were “somewhat inconclusive,” manager Craig Counsell said Friday. Hoerner expected to play Friday, but when he arrived to Great American Ball Park he wasn’t able to grip and swing the bat as he wanted.

David Bote instead got the start. Hoerner was scheduled to undergo further testing, including a CT scan. Hoerner entered as a pinch runner with two outs in the ninth of their 3-2 loss for Miguel Amaya, who hit an RBI double. Patrick Wisdom struck out swinging to end the game.

“If he felt good, I don’t think there’d be a reason to do tests,” Counsell said.

In the moments after it happened, Hoerner was worried because he suffered a hairline fracture in his right wrist in 2019 on the same type of check swing.

“Unfortunately it happens a decent amount, but it seems like I got pretty lucky,” Hoerner said. “I mean, I was able to finish the game obviously yesterday and obviously that’s always a good sign, feeling optimistic about that.

“Hopefully it’s just bruising and something that cleans up once you get inflammation out of there.”

The Cubs also made three roster moves Friday. Left-hander Jordan Wicks and right-hander Keegan Thompson were activated from the injured list. Thompson was subsequently optioned to Triple-A Iowa along with right-hander Porter Hodge.

Wicks will be used out of the bullpen and was available Friday night. The Cubs weighed whether to keep him stretched out and starting at Triple A versus having Wicks in their bullpen and giving them another option.

“We don’t have a rotation need right now,” Counsell said. “If one comes up he’s obviously a big candidate. … If something happens, and if we’re a week or 10 days into this, if he would have to start he will not be stretched out. He’ll be at a certain pitch count but not a fully stretched-out starter.”

In the last six years, dating to his freshman season at Kansas State, Wicks never has pitched out of the bullpen. He has been asking a lot of questions to Counsell, pitching coach Tommy Hottovy and Cubs relievers who have made the same transition about the timing when it comes to pitching in relief. Wicks appreciates his teammates being valuable references and extremely helpful on how to stay prepared and what to expect in this situation.

“For me, it’s just trying to continue to do what I do and get outs in any way that I can,” Wicks told the Tribune on Friday. “It’s just kind of trying to keep it as similar as I can to starting and just doing what I do and getting out the way that I do. Trying to keep it as normal as possible and just trying to help us.”

Wicks posted a 4.70 ERA in five starts (23 innings) before landing on the 15-day injured list April 25 with a left forearm strain that caused him to miss 35 games. Wicks sounded excited about the opportunity despite losing his rotation spot while he was sidelined. Wicks said his move to the pen highlights the quality of the Cubs’ starting pitching depth.

“I’m extremely blessed for the opportunity because I know there’s also alternatives of how this could have gone and I’m blessed to have been given the opportunity to still help us win baseball games and still help us contribute,” Wicks said. “That can you learn in this different role about yourself and to help you become better as a ballplayer and so for me, all I’m going to do is try and help us win games.”

For a team needing to build momentum and get rolling, the Cubs must hope their ability to bounce back and rally charges the offense during a seven-game trip to Cincinnati and Tampa, Fla.

After the two crushing losses to the Cubs, the White Sox headed back to Guaranteed Rate Field on Thursday to begin a four-game series against the Boston Red Sox. The White Sox came into Thursday with 17 losses in 18 games, including a franchise-tying single-season record 13 straight defeats.

Every Friday during the regular season, Tribune baseball writers will provide an update on what happened — and what’s ahead — for the Cubs and White Sox. Want more? Sign up for our new newsletters.

Mike Tauchman remains Mr. Consistency for the Cubs

The Cubs didn’t need to see Tauchman hit a walk-off home run Wednesday night against the White Sox to appreciate what he has brought to their lineup the last two years.

Over 163 games since getting called up last season, Tauchman was hitting .258 with a .366 on-base percentage and 109 OPS+ entering Thursday’s series opener in Cincinnati. He has produced 42 extra-base hits in that span and scored 100 runs while providing steady defense in the outfield.

“The thing you know you’re getting from Mike is kind of quality at-bat and staying in the strike zone,” manager Craig Counsell said. “He’s been consistent with that throughout the year and he’s just a tough at-bat.”

Tauchman has provided some stability in the leadoff spot. In 16 games at the top of the order, Tauchman was batting .313 (21-for-67) with a .356 OBP and .819 OPS. He was slotted there again Thursday versus the Reds.

Mike Tauchman’s walk-off HR gives Cubs another 7-6 win in City Series — and sends White Sox to record-tying 13th straight loss

And when he has gotten on base this season, as their leadoff hitter or otherwise, Tauchman has a knack for making it around the bases. He tied his career high with three runs scored Wednesday and scored in 11 of his last 21 games. Tauchman recorded multiple hits in five of his last 11 games and hit safely in 12 of his last 16 since May 15, batting .286 during that stretch.

“That’s part of the learning experience of playing at this level, playing in this league, you find out what works for you,” Tauchman said. “When you’re a young player and you’re new to the league, you’re figuring out what routine you need and what you have to do and as you get older, where can I fine tune things, where can I be more efficient and make the most use of my time.”

Outfielder Corey Julks makes the most of opportunity with the Sox

Julks has been slotted just about everywhere in the White Sox lineup.

The outfielder has hit first, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth since joining the team on May 17.

“I try not to overthink it,” Julks told the Tribune last weekend in Milwaukee of his approach in any spot in the order. “I try to treat it all the same and stay aggressive, but selective at the same time. And try to move the runners over or drive them in when I get the opportunity.”

Julks has been making the most of his opportunities. He entered Thursday’s game against the Boston Red Sox with a career-high eight-game hitting streak. He was 11-for-13 with three doubles, one home run and three RBIs during the stretch.

“He’s given us good at-bats, plays good defense, he runs the bases, steals bases, never taken a day in the major leagues for granted since he’s been here,” manager Pedro Grifol said Sunday. “I don’t know if that’s how he’s been his whole career, but since he put on this uniform, he’s never taken a minute of this opportunity for granted.”

Julks has reached base safely in 15 of his last 16 games. He led off Wednesday’s City Series game against the Cubs with a home run on the game’s first pitch.

Julks is slashing .315/.393/.519 with five doubles, two home runs and six RBIs in 16 games with the Sox since being acquired in a trade from the Houston Astros in exchange for pitcher Luis Rodríguez on May 15.

“This clubhouse has made this very easy on me, taking me in the first day and since then,” Julks said. “Shoutout to everyone in here, the coaching staff has been great, letting me do my thing and encouraging me to be aggressive, play hard. And that’s what I’m trying to do.”

Number of the week: 9.7%

Nico Hoerner has been known for his bat-to-ball skills since the Cubs drafted him in the first round in 2018, highlighted by his 9.7% strikeout rate, which ranks as the second lowest in the majors behind the San Diego Padres’ Luis Arraez (5.9%).

Week ahead: Cubs

• Friday: at Reds, 6:10 p.m., Marquee
• Saturday: at Reds, 3:10 p.m., Marquee
• Sunday: at Reds, 12:40 p.m., Marquee
• Monday: off
• Tuesday: at Rays, 5:50 p.m., Marquee
• Wednesday: at Rays, 5:50 p.m., Marquee
• Thursday: at Rays, 5:50 p.m., Marquee

The Cubs are keeping their options open with left-hander Jordan Wicks.

Wicks (left forearm strain) felt good after his bullpen Wednesday at Wrigley Field, and the Cubs continue to weigh his next steps. Manager Craig Counsell said Thursday that Wicks either will be activated or make another rehab start with Triple-A Iowa. The Cubs want to see where the pitching staff is before committing to a decision. Wicks could be used out of the bullpen. Another consideration to his usage is keeping Wicks built up.

“We need to have someone stretched out if something happens in the rotation,” Counsell said. “We’ve had, frankly, two shorter stars the last two nights so just want to make sure we’re covered down there and get guys appropriate rest.”

The Cubs’ infield depth took a hit Wednesday. Nick Madrigal suffered a fractured left hand after getting hit by a fastball in his first game with Triple-A Iowa after his demotion. He is heading to Chicago for further evaluation and diagnosis as the Cubs determine his next steps. Counsell said they won’t be able to count on Madrigal for a while, making them thin positionally at the position on the 40-man roster. Miles Mastrobuoni and Luis Vázquez are the only non big-league infielders on the 40-man.

“Dansby (Swanson) and Nico (Hoerner) are going to be in there pretty much every day,” Counsell said. “If something around that should change then we’re probably going to have to address that.”

The Cubs are still evaluating right-hander Daniel Palencia, who exited his rehab appearance Wednesday with Iowa with a trainer. Palencia was activated from the IL on Sunday after missing time with a shoulder strain. He is day to day, Counsell said, and it’s unclear what the issue is or whether it relates to his previous injury.

Week ahead: White Sox

• Friday: vs. Red Sox, 7:10 p.m., NBCSCH
• Saturday: vs. Red Sox, 3:10 p.m., NBCSCH
• Sunday: vs. Red Sox, 1:10 p.m., NBCSCH
• Monday: at Mariners, 8:40 p.m., NBCSCH
• Tuesday: at Mariners, 8:40 p.m., NBCSCH
• Wednesday: at Mariners, 8:40 p.m., NBCSCH
• Thursday: at Mariners, 8:40 p.m., NBCSCH

After the four-game series against the Red Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field, the White Sox go back on the road for series against the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks.

The Sox have the worst road record in the majors at 5-26. It’s also their worst 31-game start for road games in franchise history.

They lost 14 of their first 15 on the road and 10 of their last 11, including all five in their most recent trips to Milwaukee (0-3) and Wrigley Field (0-2).

The team’s 5.74 road ERA is the worst in the majors.

What we’re reading this morning

• Column: Cubs-White Sox games never disappoint — no matter how dismal the outlook for either team
• White Sox, in midst of historic skid, are working on closing out games: ‘Every mistake we make is biting us’
• Mike Tauchman’s walk-off HR gives Cubs another 7-6 win in City Series — and sends White Sox to record-tying 13th straight loss
• White Sox bullpen can’t hold late leads in consecutive losses to Cubs in City Series sweep: ‘It sucks’
• Cubs believe patience with Christopher Morel will pay off at the plate. But can they afford it in the field?
• Column: Pedro Grifol’s seat gets hotter afte White Sox mum on report claiming it’s only a matter of time before manager is fired
• Column: With both teams needing help, could Cubs and White Sox swing a deal at a North Shore Starbucks?
• White Sox keep making wrong kind of history: 13-game skid matches single-season franchise record
• ‘I believe in this group’: Jed Hoyer remains confident in Cubs as they struggle to get on a roll
• 3 Cubs players who need to step up in June to avoid another bad month

Quotable

“I can imagine what the fans feel like. Trust us, we want to win too.” — Sox second baseman Nicky Lopez after the team dropped their 13th consecutive game Wednesday

The Cubs haven’t won more than two games in a row in nearly six weeks when they strung together four consecutive victories from April 23-26. Opportunities to take advantage of playing division rivals in the last three weeks haven’t yielded the results they’ve needed, with Thursday’s 8-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds the latest game example. They fell to 31-32 with the loss.

Trying to build positive momentum from series to series becomes more challenging when the highs are interrupted so quickly by the lows. Thursday’s loss highlighted both sides of the Cubs’ efforts to get on an extended roll.

Highs

Middle of the order showing slug

If the Cubs are going to become a playoff team this season, they need the middle of the lineup — namely Seiya Suzuki, Cody Bellinger and Christopher Morel — to produce consistently.

The trio accounted for four of the Cubs’ five hits Thursday with three going for extra bases. Suzuki and Morel each connected for two-run homers, and Bellinger’s double in the sixth preceded Morel’s 415-foot blast to center field.

“He’s had some big swings lately for sure, and we’re starting to see him drive the baseball, which we need so good signs for sure,” manager Craig Counsell said of Suzuki. “It feels like the middle-of-the- order guys are where they need to be. It’s not the same guy every day. With the different guys that leads to consistent run scoring, and that’s what we’re going to need.”

The home runs gave Suzuki and Morel three in each of their last seven games. Morel in particular is finally starting to reap the benefits to a consistent approach through extreme unluckiness this season.

“Just staying positive, forgetting what happened in the past, not focusing on that,” Morel said through an interpreter. “Always keeping my head high and most importantly just being surrounded by great teammates that are there to cheer me up.”

Lows

Pitching regression

The pitching staff, especially the starters, have carried the Cubs for most of the first two-plus months of the season.

Expecting them to be able to do that for the entire season felt unrealistic, in part because of the inexperienced arms they have relied on for stretches and the slim margin of error they are operating on because of an inconsistent offense.

Right-hander Javier Assad allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings Thursday. The biggest blow came in the third: Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer on a laser to right field to put the Reds ahead.

“I felt good out there,” Assad said through an interpreter. “The thing that hurt the most was that home run — it kind of crumbled from there.”

Assad’s outing was the third straight shaky performance from their starter.

“Everything matters in a game,” Counsell said. “You’re gonna play different types of games and it’s a group effort to win a baseball game.”

Inning unravels after missed call

Rookie right-hander Porter Hodge appeared to get out of the seventh having maintained the Cubs’ one-run deficit.

Hodge entered with a runner on first and nobody out in the seventh, promptly retiring the first two Reds he faced on five pitches. He got ahead of Tyler Stephenson and fired a 1-2 fastball down and away but clearly in the zone. However, plate umpire Adrian Johnson called it a ball to even the count. Hodge struggled to get back locked in and ultimately walked Stephenson.

The sequence was the beginning of nine consecutive balls thrown by Hodge, who walked three straight batters to bring in a run as the Reds extended their lead to 6-4.

“There may have been a pitch in there that we could have got, maybe we should have got,” Counsell said. “There’s still three walks in the board there and you got to avoid that.”