Reds 5, Cubs 4
CINCINNATI -- Jay Bruce hit a go-ahead, two-run home run in the bottom of the sixth inning, one of three Cincinnati homers, and the Reds posted a 5-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs in the opener of a three-game series Monday night at Great American Ball Park.
Left fielder Marlon Byrd and third baseman Todd Frazier also homered for Cincinnati (41-49) off Cubs starter Clayton Richard.
Ryan Mattheus (1-1) earned the victory with one scoreless inning of relief.
Chicago (49-42) elevated Reds rookie right-hander Michael Lorenzen's pitch count early, and he never fully recovered, tossing 106 pitches while giving up four runs on seven hits and three walks in five innings.
With two outs in the sixth, Bruce crushed a 1-1 pitch from right-hander Justin Grimm (1-3) an estimated 456 feet to right field for a two-run shot, putting the Reds ahead 5-4.
Coming into Monday's game, Cubs pitchers owned a major-league-best 2.12 ERA in July, but Richard allowed three earned runs and four hits in 5 2/3 innings.
The top of the seventh ended in spectacular fashion when Reds second baseman Brandon Phillips fielded Jorge Soler's grounder up the middle and flipped behind his back to shortstop Eugenio Suarez, who bare-handed it for the out.
Chicago had the tying run at third base with one out in the eighth but left him stranded.
Reds closer Aroldis Chapman, who threw a career-high 44 pitches Sunday in an 11-inning loss to Cleveland, pitched a perfect ninth Monday and notched his 19th save.
First baseman Anthony Rizzo's sacrifice fly put the Cubs ahead 1-0 in the first inning.
In the bottom of the first, Frazier, who was 0-for-10 since the All-Star break, crushed the first pitch he saw from Richard into the grassy area in center field, tying the score 1-1.
Frazier had gone 15 appearances without a homer, his longest drought of the season.
Richard's wild pitch in the fourth allowed first baseman Joey Votto to score from third to put Cincinnati ahead 2-1.
Byrd immediately followed with his 16th home run on a 2-0 pitch from Richard, making the score 3-1.
The Cubs scored three times off Lorenzen in the fifth, which could have been an even bigger inning had center fielder Dexter Fowler not been thrown out at second trying for a double.
The key hit in the fifth was right fielder Soler's two-out, two-run double that put Chicago ahead 4-3.
NOTES: Cubs C David Ross was ejected in the seventh inning for arguing from the dugout. ... The Cubs recalled RHP Rafael Soriano from Triple-A Iowa and designated for assignment RHP Edwin Jackson. Soriano threw a scoreless inning Monday. ... Cincinnati placed LHP Manny Parra on the 15-day disabled list and recalled RHP Dylan Axelrod from Triple-A Louisville. The Reds also transferred C Devin Mesoraco to the 60-day DL. ... Both clubs announced their starters for Wednesday's doubleheader, which makes up a rainout from April 25: RHP Kyle Hendricks will pitch Game 1 for the Cubs, and RHP Dallas Beeler will be recalled from Triple-A Iowa to pitch in Game 2. Cincinnati will start RHP Mike Leake in Game 1 and recall LHP Tony Cingrani from Triple-A Louisville for the second game.