Rizzo, Hendricks propel Cubs to sweep vs. Reds
CINCINNATI -- Anthony Rizzo belted his first career inside-the-park home run in the first inning and Kyle Hendricks allowed two runs over six frames as the Chicago Cubs completed the sweep of the Cincinnati Reds with a 9-2 victory on Wednesday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.
The Cubs (51-26) won their fourth straight series over the Reds after having lost six of seven games coming into the week.
This series was particularly crazy beginning with Kris Bryant's historic three-homer, two-double game on Monday, followed by a 15-inning affair the next night in which the Cubs used three pitchers in left field.
The wildness continued in the first inning on Wednesday when, with two runners aboard, Rizzo hit a liner to left-center field that caromed off the glove of left fielder Adam Duvall and rolled to the warning track. Rizzo raced around the bases to stake the Cubs to an early 3-0 lead.
Center fielder Billy Hamilton, who nearly collided with Duvall on the play, was struck on the left side of his face by the ball and had to leave the game. Tyler Holt replaced Hamilton in center.
Chicago added two more runs in the third on an RBI double by Willson Contreras and an RBI single from Javier Baez.
Baez went 3-for-5 with a double and RBI.
Ben Zobrist denied the Reds a run when he threw out Joey Votto trying to score on Jay Bruce's single to end the third inning.
A pair of solo homers in the fourth by Addison Russell, his eighth, and Albert Almora, the first of his career, made the score 7-0.
Reds left-hander Cody Reed (0-2) who was making his third career start, got roughed up on Wednesday, allowing seven earned runs and three homers in four innings.
Duvall hit his 23rd homer for Cincinnati leading off the fourth. He went 2-for-3 with a homer and RBI on Wednesday.
Matt Szczur was 1-for-15 on the road trip before delivering an RBI single in the seventh to increase Chicago's lead to 8-2.
A squeeze bunt by Hendricks in the seventh brought home Szczur pushing the Cubs' lead to seven. The Reds possibly took exception to this as Bryant was hit squarely on the hip by Jumbo Diaz in the eighth inning.
The large contingent of Cubs fans in Cincinnati gave Hendricks (6-6) a rousing ovation as he walked off after 6 2/3 innings and 117 pitches.
NOTES: The Reds optioned struggling RHP J.J. Hoover to Triple-A and recalled RHP Keyvius Sampson. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips was in the lineup but sore after taking two foul tips off his left foot and being hit by a pitch in Tuesday's game. ... Cubs 2B Javier Baez's 15th-inning grand slam Tuesday night was the latest innings-wise in franchise history. ... The Cubs reached 50 wins in their 76th game, fastest since 1918 when they got there in 71 games.