Long after Kyle Hendricks looked like Kyle Hendricks again and the Chicago Cubs got big hits from Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber, Cincinnati Reds manager Bryan Price was still upset about the end of the game.
The Cubs wrapped up a 7-5 victory over the Reds on Wednesday night when a replay review overturned a safe call on a close play at first that could have brought the potential tying run to the plate.
Wade Davis retired the first two batters in the Cincinnati ninth before Joey Votto hit a grounder up the middle that shortstop Addison Russell fielded on the other side of second base. Rizzo had to stretch as far as he could go to bring in Russell's throw, and Votto was ruled safe by first base umpire Ed Hickox.
Rizzo and Schwarber each drove in two runs as Chicago improved to 22-5 in its last 27 games against Cincinnati. Hendricks (3-2) pitched six effective innings, Davis got his ninth save and Ben Zobrist reached three times with two hits and a walk in his return to the lineup after missing two games with lower back tightness.
Hendricks improved to 2-1 with a 1.82 ERA in his last five starts after going 1-1 with a 6.19 ERA in his first three outings. It's a very encouraging sign for the Cubs after the wiry right-hander blossomed into one of their most dependable starters last year.
Zack Cozart had three hits and two RBIs in Cincinnati's season-high fifth straight loss, but Adam Duvall committed a big error in left field and the Reds missed a couple more plays on defense that led to productive innings for the Cubs. Cozart connected for a solo shot in the third that extended his Wrigley Field homer streak to five games, matching a record for any player at the iconic ballpark.
Cubs ace Jon Lester (1-2, 3.45 ERA) starts the series finale on Thursday afternoon. Left-hander Amir Garrett (3-2, 4.25 ERA) comes up from Louisville to make his seventh start for the Reds.
>>Red Sox Outlast Cardinals in 13 Innings
Chris Young drove in the tiebreaking run with a pinch-hit single in the 13th inning, and the Boston Red Sox rallied past the St. Louis Cardinals 5-4 to sweep their two-game interleague series.
Jackie Bradley Jr. hit a two-run homer in the seventh off starter Mike Leake to begin Boston's comeback from a four-run deficit. The Red Sox tied it in the eighth against reliever Trevor Rosenthal when Xander Bogaerts hit an RBI triple and scored on Andrew Benintendi's sacrifice fly.
Mitch Moreland doubled with two outs in the 13th and Bradley was intentionally walked before Young singled to left-center off Sam Tuivailala (2-1).
Fernando Abad (1-0) tossed two scoreless innings for the win, and Ben Taylor got three outs for his first major league save.
Dexter Fowler hit a leadoff homer for the Cardinals, who had won eight of 10. It was his fifth home run this season and the 22nd leadoff shot of his career.
The Cardinals had 12 hits but did not muster one in the final five innings.
After an off day, RHP Michael Wacha (2-1, 3.19 ERA) opens a three-game series Friday against visiting San Francisco. He is 2-0 with a 2.92 ERA in four home starts this season.
>>Angels Outslug White Sox
Cameron Maybin had three more hits, Mike Trout homered for the fifth time in six games, and the Angels completed a three-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox with a 12-8 victory Wednesday night.
Maybin, batting leadoff for the second time in an Angels uniform, went 3 for 4 with two runs scored and drew a walk a day after a career-best five hits on Tuesday. He's 8 for 10 in his last two games, breaking out of a slump while finding a comfort zone hitting in front of Trout.
Trout's 13th homer of the season, a three-run shot, keyed a four-run sixth inning for the Angels.
Matt Shoemaker (3-2) gave up two runs in each of the first two innings, but settled down to earn the win. He finished with four runs allowed - three earned - and nine hits with nine strikeouts and one walk in 6 1/3 innings.
Miguel Gonzalez (3-4) allowed five runs and six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He walked five and struck out two as the White Sox opened their 10-game West Coast road trip on a sour note.
The final game of the series featured 20 combined runs, 28 hits and three errors.
Jose Abreu hit a two-out, two-run homer in the first inning give the White Sox an early 2-0 lead. Chicago made it 4-0 in the second on Yolmer Sanchez's RBI single and Melky Cabrera's run-scoring fielder's choice.
The Angels answered with a four-run second to tie it as Gonzalez walked four in the inning. Ben Revere tripled to drive in a run and scored on Martin Maldonado's groundout. Trout drew a walk to load the bases, and Albert Pujols singled to right to drive in two and tie the game at 4.
Los Angeles then scored four times in the sixth, capped by Trout's homer, and four more in the seventh to take a 12-4 lead.
The White Sox fell to 17-21 after allowing 24 runs over the last three games. They've lost 14 of their last 15 games at Angel Stadium.
Dylan Covey (0-3, 3.83 ERA) has yet to win his first game of the season. This will be his seventh start and fifth on the road, opening the series in Seattle on Thursday. Covey made his major league debut last month. In his last start, he struck out a career-best nine batters and walked two in a no-decision against the Padres.
>>Man Dies After Falling At Wrigley Field
A man who struck his head after tumbling over a railing at Chicago's Wrigley Field has died.
The Cook County medical examiner's office says 42-year-old Richard E. Garrity of Wheaton was pronounced dead Wednesday at Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center.
Authorities say Garrity fell over a railing after Tuesday night's game between the Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds. Police say he suffered head trauma from the fall.
The medical examiner has scheduled an autopsy for Thursday to determine the cause of death.
