Cubs 8, Reds 1
CINCINNATI -- Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez homered, and Jon Lester allowed one run over seven innings as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cincinnati Reds 8-1 on Friday night at Great American Ball Park.
Chicago (13-4) is off to its best start since 1970.
Cincinnati (8-9) ended a 14-inning scoreless streak when shortstop Zack Cozart crushed a 2-1 pitch from Lester into the left-center field seats to make the score 4-1.
The Reds collected five hits on Friday night after being no-hit by Jake Arrieta the night before.
Lester (2-1) wrestled with his command in both the fifth and sixth innings Friday, but struck out Adam Duvall on his 100th pitch to end the seventh. Lester allowed a run on five hits with one walk and four strikeouts.
After starter Jon Moscot (0-1) gave up four runs (three earned) over five innings, the Reds got solid relief work from right-hander JC Ramirez in his Reds debut.
Ramirez, who had his contract selected from Triple-A prior to the game, pitched a career-high three innings retiring eight straight at one point. He's the first Nicaraguan-born player to appear in a game for Cincinnati.
But, the struggles continued in the ninth inning for Reds right-hander J.J. Hoover.
Baez crushed Hoover's 2-2 pitch for a line-drive homer over the left field wall leading off the ninth. It was Baez's first home run of the season after beginning the season on the disabled list with a thumb injury.
Chicago pounded Hoover with three straight RBI doubles by Dexter Fowler, Jason Heyward, and Kris Bryant to finish off the scoring.
There would be no repeat of Jake Arrieta's feat on Friday night, as Joey Votto singled down the third base line on a check swing with two outs in the first.
The Cubs scored first, however, when Javier Baez singled and later scored on David Ross' sacrifice fly to right in the second.
Rizzo made it 2-0 when he launched his sixth home run on the first pitch from Moscot leading off the fourth.
After hitting five home runs the night before, including a grand slam by Kris Bryant, the Cubs played small-ball Friday, laying down two squeeze bunts in the fourth inning to increase their lead to 4-0.
NOTES: The Cubs' 12-4 start ranks second in franchise history behind only the 1907 club which began the season 13-3. Chicago also went 12-4 in 1970, 1913, and 1908, the year of its last World Series title. ... RHP Jake Arrieta's no-hitter on Thursday night occurred just 10 starts since his no-hitter in August. Only two pitchers have had fewer starts between no-hitters: Johnny Vander Meer who threw no-hitters in consecutive starts in 1938 and Warren Spahn who had five outings between no-hitters on Sept. 16, 1960 and Apr. 28, 1961. ... On Friday, the Reds designated for assignment RHP Tim Melville and selected from Triple-A the contract of RHP JC Ramirez. When he plays, Ramirez will be the first Nicaraguan-born player to appear in a major league game for the Reds.