Cubs 4, Reds 1
CINCINNATI -- Dan Haren pitched seven shutout innings, and Miguel Montero sparked a four-run first with a two-run double, lifting the Chicago Cubs to a 4-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the opener of a three-game series Tuesday night at Great American Ball Park.
The first pitch was delayed two hours and 31 minutes by rain.
When things finally got underway, Haren was in control throughout. The right-hander had five 1-2-3 innings and allowed just three hits. He did not walk a batter, and he fanned six.
Haren (10-9) retired 12 straight before center fielder Jason Bourgeois beat out an infield grounder with two outs in the sixth.
Montero went 2-for-3 with a double and two walks for the playoff-bound Cubs (92-65), who improved to 11-6 this season against the Reds. Chicago pulled within three games of Pittsburgh in the race for the second National League wild card. The Pirates' scheduled home game against the NL Central-leading St. Louis Cardinals was rained out.
Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber, playing 40 miles from his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, reached base four times via two hits and two walks.
The Reds (63-94) saw their losing streak reach 10 games, their longest since an 11-game skid in 1998.
Chicago was on the verge of extending its scoreless innings streak to 30, but Austin Jackson, who entered the game as a defensive replacement in right field, misplayed a ninth-inning fly ball, allow Reds center fielder Jason Bourgeois to reach third. Bourgeois later scored on a groundout by third baseman Ivan De Jesus.
Cubs reliever Travis Wood entered and induced a game-ending double-play grounder from the only batter he faced, second baseman Skip Schumaker, to earn this third save.
The Cubs came out swinging following the rain delay.
Catcher Montero's two-run double was the key blow in a four-run first inning against Reds rookie right-hander Josh Smith.
Second baseman Tommy La Stella added a sacrifice fly and shortstop Javier Baez an RBI single for the Cubs in the first.
Reds third baseman Todd Frazier left the game in the fourth inning with a slight strain of his right Achilles tendon after a sliding attempt to catch a foul pop.
NOTES: Reds CF Billy Hamilton underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder Tuesday. He is expected to resume baseball activity in four to six weeks. ... Cincinnati's 18 rain delays this season at Great American Ball Park (totaling 26 hours and 57 minutes) represent the highest total at home since the Reds started tracking weather delays in 1978. ... The Cubs are 11-6 against Cincinnati with two games remaining, their first season series victory against the Reds since 2009. ... According to the Elias Sports Bureau, Cubs OF Chris Denorfia became the first pinch hitter in major league history to hit a walk-off homer for the only run of an extra-inning victory Monday in Chicago's 1-0, 11-inning win over the Kansas City Royals.