CINCINNATI -- The preliminaries are over for the Chicago Cubs.

After a victory on Sunday afternoon that resembled so many others during their 103-win campaign, the Cubs now embark on the long-awaited quest for their first World Series title since 1908.

"We're ready," first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. "We're going to enjoy it."

Matt Szczur's two-run double and a two-run homer by Miguel Montero in a four-run outburst in the ninth inning lifted the Cubs to a 7-4 victory over the Cincinnati Reds in the regular-season finale at Great American Ball Park.

The Cubs trailed 4-3 going into the ninth against Raisel Iglesias, but with runners on first and second, Szczur lined a pitch down the right field line to put them ahead 5-4.

Montero then crushed his eighth home run to right center to hand Iglesias (3-2) the loss. It was Montero's first pinch-homer since 2007.

"We've been saying since spring training, it's going to be a different guy every day," Rizzo said. "That's who we're going to rely on for these next, hopefully, 11 wins."

Willson Contreras hit his 12th home run for National League Central champion Chicago (103-58), which went 15-4 against Cincinnati this season, including 8-3 at Great American Ball Park.

Sunday's win was the 14th for the Cubs this season in their last at-bat.

"That's a perfect example of what we do," Montero said. "We've been coming back quite a few times like that. This team has been grinding all year long. That's why we’ve won a lot of games."

Manager Joe Maddon's message to his team heading into the postseason is simple: You've won 103 games, don't change. Batting practice will continue to be optional on Friday before Game 1 of the NLDS.

"A lot of our guys have been through it," Maddon said. "Even though we're young, a lot of the guys went through it last year. I don't want to give them any stark advice. The biggest thing ... in playoff baseball, things can go wrong. How are you going to deal with that? I want them to maintain their focus even when things go wrong."

Kyle Hendricks pitched his five predetermined innings, allowing four runs and six hits with 88 pitches. Hendricks walked one and struck out four to finish with a major-league leading 2.13 ERA.

"The winning formula we've had all year starts with pitching," Rizzo said. "Pitching and defense wins championships. We'll see how it plays out."

Hendricks (16-8) needed 34 pitches to get through the first inning, which set the tone for the rest of his outing.

Reds first baseman Joey Votto went 1-for-4 to finish the season batting .326 despite hitting around .200 after May. Votto batted .408 after the All-Star break.

Cincinnati (68-94) finished 36-37 in the second half, marking the second-best improvement in baseball after going 32-57 before the All-Star break.

"We knew we were behind the eight-ball going into the season," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "Then we had all the injuries. When we got healthier, we played better. That's a testament to the players and their willingness to show up and work hard. I admire them for that."

Tucker Barnhart's two-run single put Cincinnati ahead 3-0 and was one of three hits allowed by Hendricks in the inning.

The Cubs made Reds starter Robert Stephenson pay for back-to-back walks to begin the fourth when Contreras delivered an RBI single to cut the deficit to 3-2.

Stephenson, one of the key elements in the Reds' rebuilding process that is centered around its young pitching, allowed two runs and four hits over four innings with five walks and four strikeouts.

Stephenson was line for a win before Iglesias' blown save in the ninth. Iglesias is expected to challenge for the closer's role again next season.

"We don't have a game tomorrow for him to bounce back," Price said of Iglesias. "It's a lesson he'll learn from."

Meanwhile, the season continues for the Cubs.

As Maddon promised, he got three at-bats for each of his regulars before going to his bench. Chicago loaded the bases in the seventh, but Ross Ohlendorf struck out Szczur to delay his heroics by a few innings.

Justin Grimm (2-1) picked up the win for Chicago. Carl Edwards Jr. notched his second save of the season.

"All the boxes have been checked in the regular season," Maddon said. "We made it through, and did pretty well."

NOTES: Cubs manager Joe Maddon again wouldn't divulge his postseason rotation because he hadn't talked to the players involved. ... Chicago LF Jorge Soler returned to the lineup after missing seven games with right side discomfort. ... Reds 2B Brandon Phillips missed his fifth straight game with a deep bone bruise in his left hand. ... The Cubs won 103 games for the first time since winning 104 in 1910.