Generally, if I’m telling you about a Cubs game in which they had 11 hits, including two for home runs, along with three walks, you’d probably think I’d be describing a Cubs victory.

Not this time. Shōta Imanaga, who’s allowed far too many home runs this season, served up three, all solo shots. Still, the Cubs had this game knotted up until Porter Hodge allowed two more long balls in a disastrous sixth inning that led to a 7-4 Cubs loss, their second straight to the Reds.

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The first home run off Imanaga was by Miguel Andujar in the first inning. About that one, from BCB’s JohnW53:

Andujar’s home run off Shota Imanaga was the ninth he has surrendered in the first inning of games. Going into tonight, Jonathan Cannon, Nestor Cortes and Jeffrey Springs had given up nine; Miles Mikolas, 10; and Kyle Freeland, 11.

The Cubs got that run back on a home run of their own, a solo blast by Dansby Swanson in the second [VIDEO].

The Cubs took a 2-1 lead in the third. With one out, Nico Hoerner singled and scored on this double by Ian Happ [VIDEO].

Another home run off Imanaga, this one by Matt McLain, tied the game 2-2 in the bottom of the third.

But the Cubs offense produced in the fourth, taking a two-run lead, with the runs scoring after there were two out and nobody on base. Pete Crow-Armstrong singled and Matt Shaw’s two-run homer, his 12th, made it 4-2 [VIDEO].

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Yet another solo homer off Imanaga, this one by Spencer Steer, brought the Reds to within one. Imanaga allowed just four hits, but three of them were solo homers. Shōta also walked two, unusual for him — he hadn’t walked anyone since three starts ago, Sept. 2 vs. the Braves.

Imanaga was then touched up for a fourth run in the fifth, unearned because of his own throwing error trying to pick Ke’Bryan Hayes off first — after one of the walks. Hayes advanced to second on that error and to third on a ground out. Imanaga then struck out McLain for the second out, but a single by TJ Friedl scored Hayes to tie the game. That was it for Imanaga after five innings and 83 pitches.

More from John:

This was just the ninth of Imanaga’s 53 career starts in which he has allowed at least four runs. He finished with four just once before, in 6.2 innings of an eventual 5-4 win over the Cardinals at home on Aug. 1, 2024. He has given up five in three games, two of them this year; seven in three more, one this year; and 10 once, last year.

The three homers made it 29 off Imanaga all season. He went into this game having given up six in second innings and no more than four in any other inning.

Here’s more on Imanaga’s outing [VIDEO].

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You can see in that clip that Imanaga’s K’s were all on offspeed stuff — and all three home runs were on four-seamers. I’m certainly no pitching expert or coach, but maybe Shōta should try to throw more splitters and sweepers next time. He’s likely got only one more regular-season start left.

Still, it’s 4-4 heading to the last of the sixth, so the Cubs are still in the game at that point.

They were put out of it quickly by a terrible inning by Hodge, who was given a relatively high-leverage situation. He did not do well. Austin Hays singled with one out and Steer hit his second homer of the game to make it 6-4 Reds. Elly De La Cruz followed with another homer — his first since July 31, a span of 193 plate appearances. Hodge threw 31 pitches and just did not look good at all. After looking so promising in 2024, Hodge has been injured and ineffective this year. He’s now served up nine home runs in 33 innings and almost certainly will not be on any postseason roster. In fact, I suspect if Ryan Brasier is healthy soon, Hodge will be optioned off the MLB roster.

One last note on all the homers, from John:

Cubs pitchers had served up five home runs in only one game before tonight, a 14-6 thumping by the Mariners at Wrigley Field on June 22.

They had given up four homers in only one game, too — in a 9-4 loss to the Mariners two days earlier.

The Cubs had a handful of baserunners over the last three innings, but no serious threat to score. Shaw, on a one-out double in the ninth, was the only Cub to get past first base from the sixth through the ninth.

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The White Sox did the Cubs a favor by defeating the Padres 4-3 Friday evening, so the Cubs’ magic number to clinch home field for a Wild Card series was reduced to 4. It’s still mathematically possible for the Cubs to clinch that home field before they return to Wrigley Field Tuesday, but they will need to win the last two games of the series in Cincinnati and get some help.

For whatever it’s worth, the Brewers also lost Friday, so the Cubs remain six games back in the NL Central with eight to go.

After the game Imanaga said what everyone knows — he has to cut down on the number of long balls:

The Cubs will try it again Saturday evening at GABP. Javier Assad will start for the Cubs and Zack Littell goes for Cincinnati. Game time is again 5:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.