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Off to their best start to a season since 2016, the Chicago Cubs will face the visiting Cincinnati Reds in the rubber match of a three-game series on Sunday afternoon.

Chicago sits atop the National League Central standings at 36-22 following a 2-0 win over the Reds on Saturday. Drew Pomeranz, Ben Brown, Brad Keller and Daniel Palencia combined on a one-hitter to help the Cubs win for the fifth time in their last six games.

Seiya Suzuki extended his hitting streak to 11 games in the eighth inning when he doubled in a run to break a scoreless tie. Suzuki is batting .395 (17-for-43) during his streak and has doubled in seven of his last eight games.

Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong drew two walks and turned in the defensive play of the game with one out in the ninth inning when he raced to make a diving catch on TJ Friedl’s liner to center.

“For us corner guys playing next to him, you just go back him up, because you know he’s going to be flying after it and trying to make a play,” Cubs left fielder Ian Happ said. “Huge spot there.”

Cincinnati was held to a pair of baserunners while being shut out for the ninth time this season.

Reds manager Terry Francona is exercising patience with second baseman Matt McLain, who is hitting .178 after going 0-for-3 on Saturday.

“One of the worst things is when a guy’s not hitting and you see him taking it out to the field,” Francona said. “You watch them in the dugout, and they’re beating their helmet over and over. He doesn’t do that. He plays the game.”

The Reds are playing without left fielder Austin Hays, who was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday with a left foot contusion. Gavin Lux started in left field on Saturday and went 0-for-2 with a walk.

Sunday’s pitching matchup will feature a pair of right-handers, with the Reds’ Nick Martinez (3-5, 3.48 ERA) facing Chicago’s Jameson Taillon (4-3, 3.86).

Martinez, 34, recorded his sixth consecutive quality start last Monday, allowing three runs over seven innings in a 7-4 win over the Kansas City Royals.

“You watch him out there pitching and he’s having a ball,” Francona said. “He loves competing, and I really respect that. You are going to have to beat him. And sometimes that happens. But he gives you everything he has.”

Happ is 2-for-11 (.182) against Martinez, who is 2-1 with a 2.25 ERA in eight career games (two starts) versus the Cubs.

Taillon, 33, has allowed a total of two runs across 13 1/3 innings over his last two outings. He pitched 6 1/3 innings of one-run ball in a 3-1 win over the Colorado Rockies last Monday.

“He just did a good job at kind of what he’s good at,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “Attacking the strike zone, filling up the strike zone and getting ahead. He got some early contact and some weak contact. He pitched well.”

Friedl is 4-for-13 (.308) with two homers against Taillon, who is 6-6 with a 4.79 ERA in 18 career starts versus Cincinnati.

–Field Level Media