Szczur, Montero cap Cubs tremendous regular season

[October 03, 2016]  CINCINNATI -- Matt Szczur's two-run double and a two-run home run by Miguel Montero in a four-run, ninth-inning outburst lifted the Chicago Cubs to a 7-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the regular-season finale Sunday afternoon at Great American Ball Park.

The Cubs trailed 4-3 going into the ninth inning against Raisel Iglesias, but with runners on first and second, Szczur lined a pitch down the right field line to put them ahead 5-4. Montero then crushed his eighth home run to right-center to hand Iglesias (3-2) the loss.

Catcher Willson Contreras hit his 12th home run for National League Central champion Chicago (103-57), which went 15-3 against Cincinnati this season, including an 8-3 mark at Great American Ball Park.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto went 1-for-4 to finish the season batting .326 despite hitting around .200 after May. Votto batted .408 after the All-Star break.

Cincinnati (68-94) finished 36-37 in the second half, marking the second-best improvement in baseball after going 32-57 prior to the All-Star break.

Kyle Hendricks, the major league's ERA leader coming into Sunday's game, pitched five predetermined innings, allowing four runs and six hits over 88 pitches. Hendricks walked one and struck out four.

Hendricks (16-8) needed 34 pitches to get through the first inning, which set the tone for the rest of his outing.

Tucker Barnhart's two-run single put Cincinnati ahead 3-0 and was one of three hits allowed by Hendricks in the inning.

The Cubs made Reds starter Robert Stephenson pay for back-to-back walks to begin the fourth when Contreras delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Cubs catcher Miguel Montero (47) reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. The Cubs won 7-4. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Stephenson, one of the key elements in the Reds' rebuilding process which is centered around its young pitching, allowed two runs on four hits over four innings with five walks and four Ks.

After five innings, Cubs manager Joe Maddon replaced seven starters and went to his bench. Chicago loaded the bases in the seventh, but Ross Ohlendorf struck out Szczur to delay his heroics by a few innings.

Justin Grimm (2-1) earned the win for Chicago. Carl Edwards Jr. notched his second save.

NOTES: Cubs manager Joe Maddon again wouldn't divulge his postseason rotation because he hadn't talked to the players involved. ... Chicago LF Jorge Soler returned to the lineup Sunday after missing seven games with right side discomfort. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips missed his fifth straight game with a deep bone bruise in his left hand. ... The Cubs won 103 games for the first time since winning 104 contests in 1910.

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