Reds 5, Cubs 0
Bronson Arroyo dominated through seven innings and Todd Frazier homered as Cincinnati completed a three-game sweep of host Chicago.
Arroyo (11-9) struck out seven and did not walk a batter while yielding two hits – both singles. Frazier, Ryan Hanigan, Zack Cozart and Joey Votto each added an RBI double for the Reds, who remained 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League Central and 5 1/2 clear of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the race for the second wild-card spot.
Chris Rusin (2-2) allowed two runs on three hits in six innings as the Cubs dropped their fourth straight game.
Frazier, who entered the contest with one extra-base hit in the last 15 games and no home runs since July 1, gave Arroyo all the support he needed in the first with a towering solo blast down the line in left. Hanigan doubled the lead in the fifth and Cozart’s double pushed the margin to 3-0 in the seventh.
Frazier and Votto put the game away with back-to-back RBI doubles in the eighth. Alfredo Simon and Jonathan Broxton each turned in a scoreless inning of relief to cap the two-hit shutout.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The Reds signed Cuban OF Reydel Medina for a reported bonus of $400,000. Medina, 20, had been playing in the Dominican Republic since defecting from Cuba in 2011. … The Cubs are expected to promote RHP Jake Arrieta from Triple-A Iowa on Thursday to start Friday’s series opener against St. Louis. … Cincinnati will continue its road trip at Milwaukee on Thursday.