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 "(Hammel) pitched out of some moments there and did really well,
and the bullpen was outstanding again," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said
after Chicago competed an 8-1 victory and a three-game series sweep.
The Cubs' staff collectively allowed just six hits while striking
out six. Hammel carried the principal workload, scattering four hits
over six shutout innings.
"Hammel did a good job," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "He kept us
off balance, and we just never got the big hit that we needed. It
was a close game there until the eighth when things got away from
us."
The Cubs (8-1) broke open a tight 3-0 game with an five-run eighth
before allowing a token Reds run in the ninth as they claimed their
fifth consecutive victory.
Addison Russell and Dexter Fowler each went 3-for-4, while Kris
Bryant was 2-for-3 with a solo homer.
 The Reds (5-4) were swept by the Cubs at Wrigley Field for the first
time since September 2014.
Hammel (1-0) walked four while striking out three. He also went
1-for-2 at the plate, doubling home an insurance run in the fifth
inning.
Reds starter Raisel Iglesias (1-1) worked five innings, allowing
three runs on six hits. He struck out two and walked a pair.
In the eighth, the Cubs loaded the bases for Russell, whose
broken-bat single to right off reliever J.J. Hoover delivered one
run.
Hoover then walked Matt Szczur on four pitches to bring home Jorge
Soler, and Fowler added a two-run single to right to make it 7-0.
Jason Heyward's sacrifice fly closed the Cubs' scoring.
"(Hoover) just wasn't sharp," said Price. "He was missing and got
into trouble falling behind and it just wasn't his night."
Cincinnati scored one ninth-inning run off reliever Justin Grimm,
Chicago's fourth pitcher of the night.
Bryant gave the Cubs a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second with his
one-out homer to left. He sent Iglesias' 3-2 offering several rows
deep into the bleachers for his second home run of the season and
second in two nights.
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"A lot of times with power guys (like Bryant), it sometimes comes in
bunches and all of a sudden they get that feel and take off," Maddon
said.
The Cubs loaded the bases with two outs in the third but missed a
chance to pad the lead when Anthony Rizzo struck out.
Hammel walked two batters in the Reds' fourth and had Joey Votto
perched at third with two outs after Adam Duvall grounded to short
for a fielder's choice. However, the threat ended with Jordan
Pacheco's flyout to center.
Hammel helped his cause in the fifth with a no-out double to the
wall in right-center, scoring Russell from first for a 2-0 lead. Ben
Zobrist made it 3-0 with a one-out sacrifice fly to center that
drove in Hammel.
NOTES: Reds INF Zack Cozart was out of the starting lineup for the
second straight game after leaving in the fourth inning of Monday's
series opener with a tightness in his right quad. ... Reds LHP John
Lamb (back surgery) is set to start a rehab assignment with Triple-A
Louisville. RHP Homer Bailey (right elbow surgery) was set to throw
a bullpen session at the Reds' player development complex. ... The
Reds send RHP Tim Melville (0-0, 2.25 ERA) against Cardinals RHP
Carlos Martinez (1-0, 3.00 ERA) when the teams open a three-game
series on Friday in St. Louis. ... After opening the season with
five straight road games, the Cubs are now in a stretch with 22 of
32 games at Wrigley Field through May 15. ... The 57 pitches the
Cubs faced in Wednesday's lengthy first inning were most in an
opening inning since they faced 59 on July 31, 1994, against the
Cardinals. ... Cubs RHP Kyle Hendricks (1-0, 2.70 ERA) makes his
second start of the season in Friday's series opener against the
Rockies and RHP Chad Bettis (1-0, 4.28 ERA).
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