CINCINNATI (AP) Kris Bryant capped Chicago’s four-run seventh with a three-run homer, and the Cubs rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 6-3 on Sunday for a split of their four-game series.
Ian Happ added a solo drive in the eighth as the NL Central leaders recovered after falling behind 3-0 in the fifth. David Phelps (1-0) pitched a perfect sixth for the win, and Pedro Strop got three outs for his 10th save.
Bryant, Happ, Jason Heyward and Nicholas Castellanos each had two hits for the Cubs, who lost 10-1 on Saturday.
Cincinnati had won five of six to stay on the fringe of the NL wild-card race. Eugenio Suarez homered for the third straight game and rookie sensation Aristides Aquino had a run-scoring single, but the Reds bullpen faltered after All-Star Luis Castillo was pulled in the seventh.
Tony Kemp drove in Happ with a grounder and Heyward singled with two out before Michael Lorenzen (0-3) came in. Castellanos then singled to left and Bryant gave Chicago a 5-3 lead when he drove Lorenzen’s next pitch deep to left-center for his 23rd homer.
While Cincinnati struggled after Castillo departed, Chicago’s banged-up bullpen allowed just two baserunners in the last four innings. Rowan Wick struck out four in two innings to get the ball to Strop.
Aquino’s third-inning single drove in Joey Votto and gave him at least one RBI in each of his last six games. Suarez’s two-out homer in the fifth was his 33rd of the season, one shy of the career-high 34 he hit last season.
Bryant’s homer handed a no-decision to Jon Lester, who dropped his previous two starts. The left-hander allowed five hits, struck out seven and walked three in five innings.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Reds: C Curt Casali (right knee sprain) left his rehab appearance with Triple-A Louisville on Saturday with tightness in his left hamstring. … SS Jose Iglesias missed his third straight start with a sore right bicep.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Following an off day, LHP Jose Quintana (10-7, 4.23 ERA) gets the ball Tuesday at Philadelphia. He is 6-0 with a 3.67 ERA in his last seven starts.
Reds: RHP Anthony DeSclafani (7-6, 4.20 ERA) pitches Monday night at Washington. Erick Fedde (2-2, 4.20 ERA) starts for the Nationals.
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