CINCINNATI — Seiya Suzuki’s first champagne celebration with the Chicago Cubs was a blur — literally.
Suzuki ditched his protective goggles when beer and champagne starting seeping through the edges during Wednesday’s postgame clubhouse festivities at PNC Park to celebrate the Cubs clinching a playoff spot, and he managed to largely avoid the stinging feel of the alcohol getting in his eyes. That is, until somebody sprayed champagne in his face, causing his contacts to pop out.
“I couldn’t really see what was going on,” Suzuki said Thursday through interpreter Edwin Stanberry. “I can’t put it into words, it was so much fun. … I can’t drink so it’s like you can still get drunk through your skin.
“I don’t feel great,” Suzuki added with a smile.
He felt well enough Thursday to pick up the Cubs’ only hit off Cincinnati Reds starter Hunter Greene, who took a no-hitter into the seventh en route to blanking them in a complete game. Suzuki pulled a splitter down the left-field line with two outs in the inning for his 30th double of the season. The Cubs managed just two other baserunners on a walk and error in the 1-0 loss.
Right-hander Colin Rea pitched his best game of the year, posting a career-high 11 strikeouts and 19 whiffs in seven innings. Will Benson’s two-strike RBI double off Rea in the fourth produced the game’s only run.
In the last two months, the Cubs haven’t often seen the version of Suzuki that put up 25 home runs, 24 doubles and 77 RBIs during the first half (92 games). He entered Thursday’s series opener at Great American Ball Park with just five doubles, two home runs and 14 RBIs in 49 games since the All-Star break while posting a .200/.265/.265 slash line.
Coming out of the break, Suzuki saw some well-struck balls get knocked down by the Wrigley Field wind.
“He hit some balls that probably should have been homers, and you look up at the scoreboard and you see a number halfway through the year and you kind of project what you think you’re going to end up with, and it’s probably not what he thought he was going to end up with,” hitting coach Dustin Kelly told the Tribune. “So I think him just getting some confidence, like, all right, the numbers are what they are, but how do you get rolling and have these quality at-bats and get back to being the Seiya that’s looking to drive baseballs and do damage over the next month?”
The Cubs have preached a more aggressive approach to Suzuki since his debuted three years ago. There are moments when he channels that, especially in the first half of this year. With 10 days left in the regular season, Suzuki wants to build his confidence ahead of the playoffs. Wednesday was his first game back in the lineup after missing five days with a bronchitis-like illness. Before that, Suzuki had a six-game hitting streak, though Thursday’s double was his first of September.
“When I was reflecting on the whole season, there was times when I stepped up in a box with low confidence,” Suzuki said. “For me the biggest thing is just regaining that (confidence) and then bringing that into the postseason.”
The Cubs know the dynamic offensive force Suzuki can be in the heart of the lineup. Manager Craig Counsell thought Suzuki took good swings in his four plate appearances Wednesday even though he didn’t have a hit to show for it.
“It’s just good swings at the right pitches, and obviously his hard barreled-up contact,” Counsell said pregame Thursday. “There’s some result to that, but it’s swinging at the right pitches and hitting them hard.”
Suzuki understands how difficult it can be to make the playoffs in Major League Baseball, which he said makes this experience even more special. He has heard that once the postseason begins, everybody shifts into a different gear.
“So I’m excited for watching everybody do that and trying to do that myself,” Suzuki said.
