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First-place Reds set to battle Cubs

May 16, 2011 - 2:47 PM (Sports Network) - The Cincinnati Reds open their first series since regaining the top spot in the National League's Central Division when they host the Chicago Cubs in the first of two early-week games at Great American Ball Park.

The Reds entered the weekend trailing the St. Louis Cardinals by 1 1/2 games in the Central, but swept the visiting Cards in three games to assume a 1 1/2- game lead of their own.

On Sunday, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce both hit a two-run double, and the Reds held on to complete a 9-7 win.

Ramon Hernandez and Chris Heisey both added a solo homer for Cincinnati, which swept St. Louis in a three-game series for the first time since Sept. 11-13, 2007.

The Reds have won nine of 11 overall.

Travis Wood (3-3) worked six effective innings, allowing two runs on seven hits. The left-hander walked one and struck out three. Francisco Cordero retired the final two batters to record his seventh save of the season.

Against the Cubs, righty Homer Bailey makes his third start of the season after opening 2011 on the disabled list.

The native Texan has faced the Houston Astros in both previous starts, allowing nine hits and a single run across 13 innings with one walk and 12 strikeouts.

The two wins got him above .500 for his brief big-league career, raising his overall mark to 18-16 in 58 starts.

Bailey is 1-2 in four starts versus the Cubs with a 7.65 earned run average.

For Chicago, righty Carlos Zambrano faces the Reds for the first time in 2011 and the 36th time in his big-league career.

The Venezuelan is 16-10 with a 3.06 ERA in 203 previous innings, including 30 starts and five relief outings.

The 29-year-old has won two decisions in three starts since his only loss this season, which came April 24 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He responded with a 4-2 win at Arizona and a 5-1 triumph at Los Angeles before a no-decision in the Cubs' 6-4 loss to St. Louis on May 10 at Wrigley Field.

Chicago is 6-2 in games he's pitched.

On Sunday, the Cubs' game with the San Francisco Giants was postponed because of rain.

A makeup date has not yet been announced. The Giants will return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series from June 28-30. The Cubs already have a rainout from April 27 against Colorado rescheduled for June 27.

Heavy rain forced Saturday night's game between the Giants and Cubs - won by San Francisco, 3-0 - to be shortened to six innings.

Cincinnati took two of three from the Cubs earlier in the year after taking 12 of the 16 meetings in 2010.