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Rizzo powers Cubs past Reds

May 1, 2014 - 3:25 AM Cincinnati, OH (SportsNetwork.com) - Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run homer and scored three runs as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Cincinnati Reds, 9-4, in the second and final installment of a rain-shortened series.

Starlin Castro and Wellington Castillo both supplied three hits apiece and Nate Schierholtz drove in three runs for Chicago, which has won two of its last three games.

Starter Edwin Jackson (2-2) earned the win despite surrendering four runs on five hits with three strikeouts and two walks over 5 2/3 innings.

Todd Frazier hit a two-run double and Brayan Pena homered as the Reds lost for the fourth time in five games.

Starter Tony Cingrani gave up three runs on six hits, but Nick Christiani (0-1) was tagged with the loss after allowing two runs on two hits with three walks across two innings.

Emilio Bonifacio singled to right to lead off the first for the Cubs. Two batters later, Rizzo crushed a deep home run to left center field to give Chicago an early 2-0 lead.

The Reds responded quickly in the bottom half of the frame. Joey Votto reached on a double with one out and moved up to third on Brandon Phillips' groundout. Jackson walked Jay Bruce to put runners on the corners. Todd Frazier crushed a fastball off the left-field wall for a double that brought in two runs to tie the game at two apiece.

Pena led off the bottom of the second with a solo shot to right, making it a 3-2 game.

Chicago tied it in the top of the third. Junior Lake hit a one-out single and Rizzo walked before Lake raced home on Castro's RBI single.

Christiani entered the game in relief of Cingrani to start the fifth. He was greeted with a double from Lake and then he walked Rizzo and Castro to load the bases with no outs. Mike Olt grounded into a force out that scored Lake, and Schierholtz hit a sacrifice fly to left that brought in Rizzo for a 5-3 lead.

Cincinnati got one back in the fifth. Billy Hamilton got aboard on a one-out single, moved up to second on Votto's grounder, stole third, and made it a 5-4 game on Phillips' single to left.

The Cubs tacked on insurance runs in the ninth. Schierholtz connected on a single up the middle to score Rizzo and Castro. Three batters later with runners on second and third, Ryan Kalish reached on a fielding error that scored Schierholtz. Bonifacio then doubled to bring in Castillo, giving the Cubs a 9-4 advantage.

Game Notes

Rizzo walked four times ... Pena's home run was the first that Jackson has given up this season. He had not given up a home run in 31 1/3 innings dating back to Sep. 28 of last season ... Chicago will return home to kick off a three-game series with St. Louis on Friday ... The Reds continue their homestand with a four-game set against the Brewers on Thursday.