The Chicago Cubs' Seiya Suzuki hit the 12th homer of his rookie season and went 2-for-4 in a 4-3 loss against the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday.
Suzuki scored a go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth when he connected on a 1-1 slider from Alexis Diaz (6-2) for a one-out solo shot over the left-center wall at Wrigley Field.
Suzuki also doubled in the sixth and scored his team's second run on a Franmil Reyes single for a 2-0 lead.
"I was running, simply praying for it to be a hit," Suzuki said of the home run. "It's not just today but I was thinking of how he was mixing his pitches in the series and I had slider in my mind.
"It boosts my confidence hitting one off a good pitcher and I hope to give my best in the remaining games, too."
The Reds tied the game 2-2 in the top of the eighth before Suzuki homered to retake the lead. Cincinnati was able to snatch the win in the ninth when Alejo Lopez tripled in a run and Jonathan India singled in another, both off Mark Leiter Jr. (2-7).