Cubs hold off sliding Cincinnati Reds for 7-5 win
CHICAGO (AP) - Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber drove in two runs apiece, and the Chicago Cubs handed the sloppy Cincinnati Reds their season-high fifth straight loss with a 7-5 victory on Wednesday night.
Kyle Hendricks (3-2) pitched six effective innings and drove in a run as Chicago improved to 22-5 in its last 27 games against Cincinnati. Ben Zobrist reached three times with two hits and a walk in his return to the lineup after missing two games with lower back tightness.
Zack Cozart had three hits and two RBIs for Cincinnati, but Adam Duvall committed a big error in left field and the Reds missed a couple more plays on defense that led to productive innings for the Cubs. Cozart connected for a solo shot in the third that extended his Wrigley Field homer streak to five games, matching a record for any player at the iconic ballpark.
Cozart put Cincinnati in front with an RBI single in the first, but Chicago went ahead to stay with five runs in the second against Scott Feldman (2-4).
Reds first baseman Joey Votto tried for a backhand stab on Schwarber's hard-hit grounder, but it skipped by him for a tiebreaking two-run single. Rizzo's two-run single went off the glove of second baseman Jose Peraza in shallow right field, helping the Cubs open a 5-1 lead.
Chicago added two unearned runs in the third after Duvall misplayed Miguel Montero's fly ball for Cincinnati's NL-low 17th error. Hendricks drove in Zobrist with a well-placed sacrifice bunt, and Jon Jay added an RBI single.
Feldman allowed seven runs, five earned, and five hits in 2 2/3 innings in his shortest start of the season. The right-hander was 1-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his previous two outings.
Cincinnati pulled within two on Eugenio Suarez's two-run double in the seventh, but Chicago's bullpen shut the door from there. Carl Edwards Jr. worked a perfect eighth and Wade Davis got three outs for his ninth save.
BAT'S INCREDIBLE
Part of Kris Bryant's broken bat got stuck in the netting behind home plate after he lined out to Feldman in the first. The teams finished the inning before a worker for the Cubs came out and tried to shake the lumber loose to no avail.
A group of workers finally brought out a long ladder before the start of the third inning and shook it free, earning a big ovation from the crowd of 38,715.
BOOM
Schwarber, who is showing signs of breaking out of his season-long slump, hit a long home run during batting practice that appeared to damage the Budweiser sign that sits on top of the scoreboard in right field. The lights for the first couple of letters were out for the whole game.
ON THE MOVE
The Cubs recalled right-hander Pierce Johnson from Triple-A Iowa and optioned infielder Jeimer Candelario to their top farm club. It's the first big league promotion for Johnson, who was 2-0 with a 3.21 ERA and four saves in 12 games with Iowa.
The move gives Chicago 13 pitchers on its active roster.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey (right elbow surgery) "has been throwing off a mound aggressively," manager Bryan Price said. He could return late next month. ... LHP Tony Cingrani (oblique) threw 15 pitches in a bullpen session. He is scheduled to throw again on Friday. ... Price is optimistic RHP Tim Adleman (neck strain) will be able to make his next start Saturday against the Rockies. ... RHP Nefi Ogando (strained right thumb) got one out and was charged with two runs in a rehab appearance for Triple-A Louisville.
Cubs: OF Jason Heyward (sore knuckle on his right hand) took live batting practice on the field for the second straight day. Manager Joe Maddon said he might need a rehab assignment before returning to the roster. ... LHP Brett Anderson played catch for the second straight day. He is on the DL with a lower back strain.
UP NEXT
Cubs ace Jon Lester (1-2, 3.45 ERA) starts the series finale on Thursday afternoon. Left-hander Amir Garrett (3-2, 4.25 ERA) comes up from Louisville to make his seventh start for the Reds. Lester has a 1.44 ERA in four home starts this year, compared to a 5.73 ERA on the road. Garrett pitched six effective innings in a 14-2 win against San Francisco in his previous start for Cincinnati on May 6.
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Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap