Three Cubs combine for 6 homers in win over Reds

[August 31, 2020]  Ian Happ, Jason Heyward and Kyle Schwarber -- the Chicago Cubs' starting outfield -- each hit two of the club's season-high six home runs during a 10-1 road rout of the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

Schwarber's second blast was a grand slam to right field in the ninth for the NL Central-leading Cubs, who recorded a split of this four-game series. Chicago, with 20 homers over an eight-game stretch, became the first team in major-league history to have each starting outfielder post a multi-home run contest, according to Marquee Sports Network.

Joey Votto homered for the second consecutive game for Cincinnati, which failed again to win its first home series of 2020.

Chicago starter Tyler Chatwood left in the bottom of the third inning of a scoreless game. The club later said Chatwood, who was recently on the injured list because of back tightness, was dealing with right elbow discomfort. Reliever Colin Rea (1-0), who got the final two outs in the third, received credit for the win.

Schwarber opened the scoring in the fourth with a massive shot into the right-field seats off Luis Castillo (0-5). Two batters later, Heyward also went deep to right.

The Cubs went up 4-0 in the fifth when Happ clubbed a two-run homer to center off Castillo. The Cincinnati right-hander allowed just one home run over his first six starts, but yielded three and two other hits while striking out seven over five innings.

Heyward made it 5-0 with a line drive over the right-field wall for his fifth of the season in the sixth.

Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber (middle) is greeted by Jason Heyward (right) and Anthony Rizzo (left) after hitting a grand slam home run in the ninth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Owens-USA TODAY Sports

Votto put the Reds on the board in the bottom of the frame with a solo drive off Jose Quintana, who allowed that one run with one other hit while striking out six over three innings of relief.

Happ, who played his college ball at Cincinnati, drove his second homer of the day just into the right-field seats off reliever Robert Stephenson in the seventh. It was Happ's ninth of the year and third in two games.

Schwarber's slam off Jose De Leon was also his ninth home run of 2020.

The Cubs made news prior to Sunday's contest by acquiring outfielder Jose Martinez from the Tampa Bay Rays. Martinez was batting .239 with two homers and 10 RBIs in 24 games for the Rays in 2020.

--Field Level Media

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