Wood (8-11) snapped a 12-start winless streak, striking out five while allowing just a pair of singles, and Hector Rondon pitched a perfect ninth for his 22nd save. Starlin Castro went 2-for-4 in his return from the bereavement list for the Cubs, who have won four straight.
Johnny Cueto (15-8) allowed three runs and seven hits over 6 1/3 innings, losing to the Cubs for the first time since 2011 and snapping a streak of five straight victories against them. Todd Frazier, Zack Cozart and pinch-hitter Skip Schumaker each recorded a single for the Reds, who fell 6 1/2 games behind San Francisco for the second National League wild-card spot.
Rizzo blasted his 30th home run to center field in the first inning just before heavy rain settled in and forced a delay. Matt Szczur singled to lead off the seventh and Alcantara followed with a two-run shot to right.
Cincinnati got the tying run to the plate in the eighth, as Schumaker beat out a bunt with two outs and Pedro Strop walked Billy Hamilton before inducing Frazier to hit an inning-ending grounder. Wood gave up a one-out single to Frazier in the first before retiring 10 straight and 17 of 19.
GAME NOTEBOOK: The game was delayed 50 minutes by rain in the opening frame. … Rizzo exited in the eighth inning with lower back tightness. … Cubs pitchers have allowed four runs during their four-game winning streak and surrendered only four hits in the past two contests.
Chi. Cubs | Cincinnati | |
Travis Wood | Player | Johnny Cueto |
Win | W/L | Loss |
6.0 | IP | 6.1 |
5 | Strikeouts | 8 |
2 | Hits | 7 |
0.00 | ERA | 4.26 |
Chi. Cubs | Cincinnati | |
Starlin Castro | Player | Skip Schumaker |
2 | Hits | 1 |
0 | RBI | 0 |
0 | HR | 0 |
2 | TB | 1 |
.500 | Avg | 1.000 |
Team | Hits | HR | TB | Avg | LOB | K | RBI | BB | SB | Errors |
Chi. Cubs | 8 | 2 | 14 | .229 | 14 | 13 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
Cincinnati | 3 | 0 | 3 | .100 | 6 | 9 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 |