Cubs crush Reds for fifth straight win
David Kohl - USA Today Sports

Cubs crush Reds for fifth straight win


by - Senior Editor -

CINCINNATI -- Another day and another impressive power display by the Chicago Cubs against the last-place Cincinnati Reds' pitching. The North Siders cruised to a 9-3 road win as the game was never in doubt and it looked like an exhibition batting practice for the North Siders as they scored all their runs in the first four innings. Unfortunately for Reds fans, their team needs to find better pitching or they will continue to be basement dwellers in the National League Central for a long time. The Cubs are 11 games above .500 for the season and 3.5 games ahead of the second-place Milwaukee Brewers in the divisional standings.

The Cubs got off to a fast start loading the bases and then Tommy La Stella showing his patience by drawing a walk to make it 1-0 in the first inning. Jason Heyward continued the inning with a two-run single that scored Anthony Rizzo and La Stella as the Cubs jumped on the Reds 3-0.

Heyward continued his solid hitting day with a line drive single to score Rizzo to make it 4-0 Cubs in the third inning.

In the fourth inning, the Cubs ended all doubt of the winner of the contest with a three-run opposite field shot by Kyle Schwarber scoring Mike Montgomery and Jon Jay that made the score 7-0. It was the 21st homer of the season for Schwarber.

It got worse for the Reds as reserve infielder Tommy La Stella flexed his muscles with a two-run homer that scored Alex Avila to make it a laugher at 9-0. La Stella's homer was his third of the 2017 season as he was in the lineup for the injured Kris Bryant.

Spot starter Mike Montgomery was outstanding on the mound for the Cubs as he went six scoreless frames giving up only four hits, allowing one walk, and four strikeouts to lower his season ERA to 3.43. He had excellent command on the diamond including inducing an impressive 11 groundouts.

Cubs relievers Justin Wilson and Koji Uehara each pitched a perfect inning of relief in the seventh and eighth respectively. However, the baseball was handed to veteran Hector Rondon in the ninth inning, and he gave up three long solo homers by Joey Votto, Eugenio Suarez, and Scott Schebler to lose the shutout win for the Cubs. The late scoring was rather meaningless but not a good sign for Rondon moving foward.

The Cubs will go for the rare road sweep on Thursday night at 6:10 p.m. CDT against the Reds.

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