Reds can't keep up with Cubs in Chicago

CHICAGO — Before Tuesday’s game, Kyle Schwarber was chatting with a reporter about his rookie season.

“I’m struggling at the plate right now,” he said. “I’m just trying to do anything I can to help us put more runs on the board than the other team."

Schwarber, the Middletown kid by way of Indiana University, helped do that a little later on. His two-run home run lifted the Cubs to a 5-4 victory over the Reds before a crowd of 33,756 at Wrigley Field.

Box score:Cubs 5, Reds 4

The shot came off Burke Badenhop, who had not allowed a home run in 49 2/3 innings.

“That’s why he’s in the game,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “He gets lefties out. Other than (Aroldis) Chapman we don’t have a left-handed situational guy. We’re using Badenhop as a left-handed specialist – and he keeps the ball in the park.

“Schwarber did a really nice job. He hit a low change-up out over the plate. He did try to pull it.”

Schwarber also singled, walked and scored three runs. He came in to Tuesday night's game, however, hitting .153 over his last 20 games. But he had six home runs and 15 RBI in that stretch.

The home run Tuesday came just after Reds shortstop Eugenio Suarez hit one to give the Reds a 4-3 lead. They also led 1-0 and 3-1 during the night.

“You’ve got to give them credit,” Price said. “They played a little bit better than we did.”

Rookie right-hander Anthony DeSclafani went 5 2/3 innings and allowed three runs on four hits. He walked two and struck out seven. The Cubs made him work on a hot, humid night: He threw 107 pitches, 69 strikes.

“He threw a beautiful ballgame,” Price said. “He had really good stuff. He had the curveball working, which really isn’t a featured pitch. He was cracking off the good slider with the fastball that sat 93 to 96 with good command.”

DeSclafani was chased in the sixth, ultimately giving up a 3-1 lead.

“I felt good all game,” DeSclafani said. “I had a curveball working for me today. That was probably the best I’ve thrown it all year. That’s a positive.

“But the sixth inning I ran into trouble. I’ve got to make better pitches and get out of that inning.”

Joey Votto gave the Reds the early lead. With two outs in the first, he jumped on a first-pitch, 85 mph cutter on the outer half of the plate from Dan Haren. It got out to left-center quickly, landing halfway up the bleachers for Votto’s 26th of the year.

DeSclafani only allowed one hit through three, but he walked Schwarber to start the fourth. DeSclafani got the next two hitters but then ran into some hard luck. He broke Kris Bryant’s bat, but the flare got just deep enough into right field that Votto could not run it down. It fell for a single. Schwarber, who had moved up on a groundout, scored easily to tie it at 1-1.

The Reds answered in the top of the fifth.

Tucker Barnhart, fresh off a three-hit night, hit one into the gap in left-center that Dexter Fowler could not run down.

DeSclafani followed with a single into left. Schwarber’s throw was high, and Barnhart slid in as catcher Miguel Montero leaped for the throw. Then it was 2-1.

It was DeSclafani’s eighth hit and third RBI of the year.

The Cubs pulled Haren after five innings and replaced him with left-hander Clayton Richard. The lefty-lefty match-up did not work out: Jay Bruce roped a double into right, and then Votto fell behind 0-2 before serving one into left. Schwarber made a diving attempt but came up short. Bruce scored to make it 3-1.

The Cubs really made DeSclafani work in the sixth. Schwarber singled with one out. Chris Coghlan worked a nine-pitch walk. DeSclafani won a seven-pitch battle with Anthony Rizzo, getting him to pop out. Bryant, however, followed with his third straight single. Schwarber scored to make it 3-2.

That was it for DeSclafani. It was 85 degrees and humid at the start of the game.

“I started feeling it a little bit in the eighth,” DeSclafani said. “My calves started cramping. That’s not an excuse. It’s hot there for everybody. It’s as simple as making pitches in that inning and getting the guys back in the dugout.”

Sam LeCure came in and gave up a single to Montero. Coghlan scored to tie it.

Suarez untied it by leading off the seventh with his 11th home run, a towering shot to left that just made it in the basket in front of the bleachers.

Badenhop started the seventh for the Reds. Fowler led off with a single. Schwarber worked the count to 3-2, then hit a bomb to left-center for his 13th.