Jameson Taillon tossed five solid innings for his third consecutive victory as the Chicago Cubs beat the visiting Cincinnati Reds 5-3 on Thursday.
Jeimer Candelario, Cody Bellinger, Ian Happ, Christopher Morel and Yan Gomes each drove in a run for Chicago, which won three straight after opening the four-game series with a 6-5 loss. The Cubs are 13-3 in their last 16 games and have won five straight series.
Taillon (6-6) allowed two runs on seven hits with two walks and five strikeouts. Adbert Alzolay recorded the final four outs for his 13th save in 14 opportunities.
Elly De La Cruz homered on the first pitch of the game for Cincinnati, which concluded its 10-game road trip with a 4-6 mark. Spencer Steer added a solo homer in the eighth inning.
After scoring a total of 36 runs in back-to-back wins on Tuesday and Wednesday, Chicago made the most of its seven hits in the series finale.
The Cubs tied the game at 1-1 in the bottom of the first against Luke Weaver (2-4) on consecutive doubles by Nico Hoerner and Happ. Weaver ran into trouble again in the third inning, when the Cubs scored three runs on one hit.
Bellinger delivered a two-out single to put Chicago ahead before Weaver walked Dansby Swanson to load the bases. After two runs scored on consecutive walks to Morel and Candelario, Reds manager David Bell was ejected for arguing balls and strikes with plate umpire Derek Thomas.
Cincinnati pushed a run across in the fourth inning when Christian Encarnacion-Strand hit a leadoff single, moved to third on Will Benson’s single, and scored on Luke Maile’s double-play grounder.
Weaver was lifted after giving up a leadoff single in the fourth inning. He allowed four runs on four hits with four walks and five strikeouts.
Chicago added an insurance run in the bottom of the eighth inning against Fernando Cruz when Swanson hit a leadoff double, moved to third on Candelario’s single and scored on Gomes’ sacrifice fly.
Cincinnati struck out 14 times and went 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position.
–Field Level Media
