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 Right-hander Anthony DeSclafani pitched two-hit ball through seven
innings for his first win of the season as the Reds snapped a
three-game losing streak with a 3-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
DeSclafani also struck out five and walked just two while the Reds
held off a late Cubs rally.
"Everything was working tonight," said Cincinnati catcher Brayan
Pena. "The way he goes about his business, he's so calm and relaxed.
He trusts his stuff. He really deserved this victory."
The win evened the three-game series at a game apiece heading into
Wednesday night's finale at Wrigley Field.
DeSclafani (1-0) threw 97 pitches through seven scoreless innings
and didn't allow a hit until the fourth inning.
"It felt pretty good, mechanically it felt good and I thought I
mixed it up well," said DeSclafani, who made 13 appearances last
year with Miami. "I had everything working and Pena did a great job
calling the pitches behind there and the defense was awesome."
But the chance for his first win was threatened in the late innings
when Reds reliever Kevin Gregg entered in the eighth inning and gave
up a two-run pinch-hit home run to Welington Castillo.
The homer, which also scored pinch hitter Matt Szczur, came on a
first pitch and was Castillo's career first as a pinch hitter.
Reds left-hander Aroldis Chapman then put two runners on with one
out in the ninth but struck out pinch hitters David Ross and Mike
Olt to preserve DeSclafani's win while earning his third save of the
season.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon was not discouraged with his team's
performance, especially in the late innings.
"If we keep giving that kind of effort all year long, I'll be very
happy (and) good things are going to happen," Maddon said.
"Eventually we got back in the game in the eighth inning and had a
chance to win. Any manager would appreciate that kind of effort from
your group."
Reds first baseman Joey Votto went 2-for-3 with a walk and RBI while
Marlon Byrd and Jay Bruce had an RBI apiece.
Cubs right-handed starter Jake Arrieta (1-1) gave up all three runs
in the fourth inning but eventually had a 6 2/3-inning outing as he
gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out five.
He was replaced by left-hander Zac Rosscup, called up from Triple-A
Iowa earlier Tuesday. He worked 1 1/3 hitless innings while walking
one and striking out two.
Reds center fielder Billy Hamilton had the game's first hit with a
leadoff single in the fourth inning. He promptly stole second for
his major-league-leading eighth theft of the season and scored on
Votto's base hit to right.
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After third baseman Todd Frazier's grounder forced out Votto, second
baseman Brandon Phillips followed with a base hit. Phillips reached
third on Bruce's RBI single. On the play, Phillips was banged up on
an attempted tag at third by Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro. Phillips
dived for the bag and Castro fell on top of him.
After trainers examined him, Phillips temporarily stayed in the
game, and he scored when Byrd bounced a two-out single down the
third base line to make it 3-0. He later left the game complaining
of lightheadedness.
"I think there were three or four balls that just squeaked through,"
Arrieta said. "Bruce and then Byrd back-to-back, two broken bats
that just kind of got through there for two runs. Other than that, I
was able to limit the damage, get deep enough and Welly (Castillo)
came up with a huge swing of the bat.
"We were right there, we were one swing away."
NOTES: Reds C Devin Mesoraco continued rehab on his left hip in
Cincinnati on Tuesday, but manager Bryan Price hopes Mesoraco will
be back with the club soon. ... RHP Homer Bailey is expected to
rejoin the Reds' rotation with a scheduled start Saturday in St.
Louis. He is recovering from right forearm surgery performed last
fall. ... RHP Jason Marquis makes his second appearance of the
season and 14th career start against the Cubs in Wednesday's series
finale. His last appearance against Chicago was in August 2010. ...
The Cubs called up LHP Zac Rosscup from Triple-A Iowa prior to the
game. In turn, they placed INF Tommy La Stella on the 15-day
disabled list retroactive to April 9 with right rib cage
inflammation. ... Cubs LHP Travis Wood (0-1, 5.79 ERA) makes his
second start of the season Wednesday as he faces his former club.
Wood was 11-10 with a 4.18 ERA with the Reds between 2010-11.
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