Final
Cubs host Reds in NL Central clash
May 6, 2011 - 2:33 PMVideo
"I'm really looking forward to this week," Cubs manager Mike Quade noted on the club's website. "I'd much rather [play] a series with the Cardinals and the Reds than Arizona, San Fran ... whatever. I love the divisional stuff."
The Cubs are kicking off a nine-game homestand tonight and will also welcome St. Louis and San Francisco to the Windy City. Quade's team completed a seven- game road trip through Arizona and Los Angeles with a 4-3 mark and took the last two meetings of a three-game series at Dodger Stadium.
In Wednesday's 5-1 victory over the Dodgers, Marlon Byrd highlighted a four- run sixth inning with a three-run homer and Carlos Pena led off the frame with a solo shot. Geovany Soto also went deep for Chicago, which received another strong mound performance from Carlos Zambrano. The right-hander lifted his mark to 4-1 with eight innings of one-run ball and struck out four batters.
"I felt good in the pen," Zambrano said. "My delivery was nice and easy today. When you feel like that you're in the zone."
Coming off his first victory in a Chicago uniform, Matt Garza looks to get in that similar zone Zambrano was referring to when he takes the ball Friday. Garza, who was traded to the Cubs in the offseason, was 0-3 with a 4.11 ERA in his first five starts.
Garza then cracked the win column in last Saturday's 5-3 victory at Arizona, as he struck out 10 batters and allowed three runs in eight innings of a 5-3 victory. The win lifted Garza to a 1-3 mark in six starts and slightly lowered his ERA to 3.96.
The right-hander is 0-1 in three home starts this season and has never faced the Reds in his career.
Cincinnati will begin a six-game road trip against the Cubs and Astros tonight and is in the midst of playing 16 games in a row against NL Central foes. The Reds took the final two contests of a three-game series with Houston and posted a 10-4 victory in Thursday's series finale behind homers from Jay Bruce and Fred Lewis. Bruce ended with three hits and three runs scored.
Ryan Hanigan also registered three hits and three RBI for the Reds, who got six strong innings from winning pitcher Homer Bailey. Bailey held the 'Stros to one run and four hits with seven strikeouts and only one walk in his first start of the season.
"It was good to get back into the game, to be a part of this team again and go out there and compete with those guys. They had my back so well," Bailey said.
Bailey helped the Reds win consecutive games for the first time since April 11-12 against San Diego. Reds first baseman Joey Votto had a hit on Thursday and has reached base safely in 31 straight games, the longest streak of any NL player. The reigning NL MVP is three games shy of matching Dave Collins for the club record of 34 set during the 1981 campaign.
Reds starter Edinson Volquez hasn't won in almost a month and will try to get off the schneid this afternoon against the Cubs. Volquez is 0-1 with a 5.51 earned run average in four appearances since defeating San Diego on the road April 11.
Volquez last took the mound in Saturday's 4-3 win over Florida, but did not factor in the outcome after he held the Marlins to a run and two hits in five innings. He also walked five batters and struck out four.
The right-hander hopes to stay unbeaten in his career against the Cubs, as he owns a 2-0 mark and a microscopic 0.96 ERA over three starts in this series.
Cincinnati took care of business with the Cubs last season as evidenced by the 12-4 record over 16 games, including a 6-1 ledger at Wrigley Field.
- CINCINNATI: 5
CHICAGO: 4
Final
May 6 5:35 PM - Geovany Soto single to left scored Marlon Byrd. On the play, Carlos Pena advances to third. Runners on first and third with none out and Matt Garza due up.
Reds 5, Cubs 4 Bot 6, 0 OutsMay 6 4:33 PM - Aramis Ramirez single to left scored Darwin Barney. On the play, Starlin Castro advances to second. Runners on first and second with one out and Alfonso Soriano due up.
Reds 5, Cubs 3 Bot 5, 1 OutMay 6 4:11 PM - Joey Votto single to center scored Paul Janish. On the play, Edgar Renteria advances to third. Runners on first and third with two outs and Brandon Phillips due up.
Reds 4, Cubs 2 Top 5, 2 OutsMay 6 3:59 PM - Geovany Soto grounded into a double play, short to first scored Alfonso Soriano. Carlos Pena out at second. Marlon Byrd advances to third. Runner on third with two outs and Matt Garza due up.
Reds 3, Cubs 2 Bot 4, 2 OutsMay 6 3:46 PM - Jay Bruce one-out, three-run Home Run (7) to right scored Edgar Renteria and Joey Votto. Jonny Gomes due up.
Reds 3, Cubs 1 Top 4, 1 OutMay 6 3:29 PM - Ramon Hernandez's passed ball scored Matt Garza. On the play, Darwin Barney advanced to third on the passed ball. Runner on third with two outs and Aramis Ramirez at the plate.
Reds 0, Cubs 1 Bot 3, 2 OutsMay 6 3:20 PM - CINCINNATI: 0
CHICAGO: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
May 6 2:25 PM
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