Wednesday night, Reds manager Dusty Baker left Wrigley Field two hours before the first pitch between the Cincinnati Reds and Chicago Cubs, for chest x-rays at a local hospital to "rule out pneumonia." Baker, who managed the Cubs from 2003 through 2006, left his lineup in the hands of bench coach Chris Speier, who guided the Reds to a 6-5 victory in 11 innings.
After the game, the Reds sent an update on Baker's status, and the news was encouraging:
Dusty will remain in a Chicago hospital overnight for precautionary tests for an irregular heartbeat. He expects to rejoin the team Friday.
— Reds (@Reds) September 20, 2012
Cincinnati will conclude its series against Chicago tomorrow, with Johnny Cueto set to duel Jason Berken at 2:20 p.m. ET. The Reds, who lead the NL Central by 11 games, have lowered their magic number to clinch the division to three games.