Reds 5, Cubs 4
Ryan Hanigan drove in the winning run with a walk-off single as host Cincinnati edged Chicago.
Pinch hitter Xavier Paul led off the ninth with a triple into the right field corner off Shawn Camp (3-6). Hanigan followed and did not wait around, taking the first pitch from Camp and driving it over the drawn-in outfield to easily plate Paul.
Jay Bruce recorded two hits, scored a run and drove in a run and Aroldis Chapman (5-4) pitched a scoreless inning of relief to earn the win for the Reds, who picked up their ninth win in 11 series since the All-Star break.
The teams traded runs early in the game before the Reds busted out in a three-run fourth. Wilson Valdez gave them a 2-1 lead with an RBI single and Hanigan and Mat Latos followed with a sacrifice fly and another RBI single to make it a 4-1 cushion.
Latos, who entered with a 0.43 ERA in three August starts, was let down by his defense on Sunday. Valdez’s error in the sixth opened the door for Chicago to score a pair of runs and Jay Bruce made a miscue in the eighth.
With a runner on first and one out, Luis Valbuena hit a deep drive to right that got Bruce turned around. The ball glanced off Bruce’s glove, allowing the tying run to reach third on the error. Alfonso Soriano followed with a groundout to third, forcing in David DeJesus to make it 4-4.
Latos was charged with four runs (two earned) on six hits and three walks while striking out six in eight innings.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Cincinnati LF Ryan Ludwick went 0-for-2 with a pair of walks, snapping a streak of three straight starts with at least one home run. … Reds 1B Joey Votto (knee) resumed field work, playing catch and taking ground balls before the game. He will not travel with the club to Philadelphia for the beginning of a four-game series on Monday. … Cincinnati committed three errors on Sunday and totaled 10 during the seven-game homestand. … The Cubs optioned LHP Brooks Raley to Class AAA Iowa but are expected to bring him back for a start next weekend. … Chicago continues its road trip at Milwaukee on Monday.