Bronson Arroyo Stops Cubs And Losing Streak

Bronson Arroyo became the stopper for the Reds.  He stopped the Cubs offense and the Reds losing streak in six efficient innings of work as the Reds salvaged the final game of the series, 7-5.

Arroyo retired the first 10 Cubs batters before Kris Bryant lined a single to center for their first base runner.  Anthony Rizzo spoiled the mood with his third home run in as many days, his fourth of the season.

The blow tied the game because Billy Hamilton’s speed and Scott Schebler’s power provided a two-run lead against Chicago starter John Lackey.

Hamilton singled to open the bottom of the first.  On successive pitches to Jose Peraza, Hamilton stole second and third.  Joey Votto drove in his sixth run of the series with a sacrifice fly. Schebler hit his fourth home run in the second inning.

Arroyo retired eight of the next nine batters, six by strike out.  Jon Jay single was the last of the three hits the 40-year old veteran allowed.

Schebler singled to drive in Eugenio Suarez in the fourth to retake the lead

The Reds took advantage of poor Cubs defense and Patrick Kivlehan’s timely hitting to put more space between the Reds and the defending World Champions. 

Votto reached base on Rizzo’s error at firstbase.  Suarez walked. Scooter Gennett had an infield hit.  Kivlehan’s blast deep into the leftcenterfield gap wiped the bases clean. Tucker Barnhart’s ground out moved Kivlehan to third.  Phillips Ervin pinch hit for Arroyo and hit a ground ball over the bag at third.  Bryant’s throw was wide and the Reds had a 7-2 lead.

Blake Wood gave up hits to Ben Zobrist and Addison Russell to put runners on the corners with no outs.  Bryan Price sent lefty Wandy Peralta to face Jason Heyward.  Heyward’s force of Russell at second made the score 7-3. Peralta ended the inning with two strike outs and got the first out in the eighth.  Price brought in Raisell Iglesias, who finished the eighth.

Zobrist doubled and scored on Russell’s second single to open the ninth against Iglesias. A bad pickoff sent Russell to third with no outs. Heyward singled to right on a 3-2 pitch. With no outs the Cubs brought the tying run to the plate but Miguel Montero hit into a 1-6-3 double play.

Iglesias got Wilson Contreras to fly out to Kivlehan to end the game.