Hayden Wesneski allowed two hits over five shutout innings of relief to win his major league debut, and the Chicago Cubs took advantage of 11 walks to beat the Cincinnati Reds 9-3 Tuesday night for their second win in nine games.
Wesneski (1-0), a 24-year-old right-hander acquired from the New York Yankees on Aug. 1 for reliever Scott Effross, struck out eight and walked one in front of about 20 family members and friends from Texas.
He relieved Wade Miley, who returned from a shoulder injury to make his first start since June 10. Wesneski retired 13 of the first 14 batters around a walk before Spencer Steer doubled with one out in the ninth and Aristides Aquino singled. Wesneski struck out Jake Fraley and Jose Barrero to end the game.
Wesneski threw at up to 95.7 mph, mixing 26 curveballs and five changeups among 61 pitches and getting four of his eight swings and misses on curves. He was 6-7 with a 3.51 ERA in 23 starts at Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and 0-2 with a 5.66 ERA in five appearances at Triple-A Iowa.
Seiya Suzuki tied the score 3-3 with a two-run homer in the fifth off Justin Dunn. Nick Madrigal poked a two-run single off Fernando Cruz in the sixth that landed in front of right fielder Aristides Aquino. Madrigal's hit followed Nico Hoerner's leadoff single against Ian Gibalt (1-1) and Christopher Morel's walk off Relver Sanmartin.
Chicago scored three runs on batters who reached on walks and another with a batter who was hit by a pitch. Cincinnati's 11 walks were its most since Aug. 8, 2018.
All of the Cubs' runs scored with two outs.
Bell was ejected by plate umpire Carlos Torres with two outs in the top of the ninth after complaining about Torres' strike zone. It was Bell's third ejection this season and the 19th of his career.
Cincinnati (53-80), which had four hits, is two losses from ensuring a losing record. The Reds began the year trying to string together three straight winning seasons for the first time since four in a row from 1985-88.
Miley, who missed 76 games because of a left shoulder strain, allowed three runs - two earned - and two hits in four innings. He struck out six, walked two and generated 14 swings and misses.
Ian Happ homered in the first, his 26th homer against the Reds.
Kyle Farmer's homer extended the Reds' lead to 3-1 in the third.
Suzuki, who hit his 11th homer, is batting .349 (22 for 63) with five doubles and two homers in his last 18 games. Suzuki also walked with the bases loaded in the seventh.
Mike Minor (3-10, 5.98) starts Wednesday. Minor allowed two runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 5-3 loss to the Cardinals Aug. 31.
Cubs RHP Javier Assad (0-0, 0.90) hasn't allowed a run in starts against the Cardinals on Aug. 23 and the Blue Jays on Aug. 29.
