Final
Wells makes season debut against Reds
Apr 22, 2012 - 2:41 PMVideo
Wells, a 12-game winner in the majors as recently as 2009, won a combined 15 games for the Cubs in 2010-11 and began this season at Triple-A Iowa, where he was 1-0 in three starts with a bloated 9.42 earned run average.
He gets another chance courtesy of veteran ex-Red Ryan Dempster, who was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained quad.
Wells, who is 4-1 in nine career meetings with the Reds, hasn't won in the majors since Sept. 4, when he tossed six innings of one-run ball to beat Pittsburgh, 6-3, at Wrigley.
Wells was 0-2 with two no-decisions in his final four starts of 2011. He last faced the Reds on Sept. 15 and got no-verdict in Chicago's 8-6 loss.
The Cubs ended another prolonged mound slump in Saturday's second game with Cincinnati, when left-hander Paul Maholm tossed six strong innings and the Cubs used an early offensive surge to beat the Reds, 6-1.
Maholm (1-2) gave up one run on four hits and three walks to pick up his first win since July 10, 2011. He had gone 0-7 with a 7.03 earned run average in his previous nine outings.
"I need ground balls and I need to get ahead and execute pitches," Maholm said.
Darwin Barney and Steve Clevenger both had three hits and knocked in a run for the Cubs, who snapped a six-game losing streak.
Mike Leake (0-2) allowed five runs on 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings for Cincinnati, which was vying for its third straight win. The Reds have dropped six of nine overall.
Staff ace Johnny Cueto gets the series-closing call for the visitors in his fourth appearance of the season.
The 26-year-old Dominican beat Miami, 3-0, with seven innings of shutout ball on April 5, but has gotten no-decisions in two subsequent meetings with St. Louis - a win and a loss for the Reds - while allowing 14 hits and four runs in 12 innings.
Cueto, who posted a stingy 2.31 ERA in 156 innings last season, is 4-6 in 14 career starts against the Cubs with a 3.72 ERA.
The start is his 120th in the majors since debuting with nine wins in 2008.
Cincinnati captured 11 of its 18 matchups with the Cubs last season.
- CINCINNATI: 4
CHICAGO: 3
Final
Apr 22 5:33 PM - Pinch-Hitter Jeff Baker ground out short to first scored Starlin Castro. None on with two outs and Ian Stewart due up.
Reds 4, Cubs 3 Bot 9, 2 OutsApr 22 5:30 PM - Jay Bruce walk Johnny Cueto scored on the play. Bases loaded with two outs and Scott Rolen due up.
Reds 4, Cubs 2 Top 6, 2 OutsApr 22 4:18 PM - Drew Stubbs ground into a fielder's choice, short to second scored Ryan Hanigan Zack Cozart out at second Johnny Cueto advances to third. Runners on first and third with one out and Joey Votto due up.
Reds 3, Cubs 2 Top 6, 1 OutApr 22 4:09 PM - Bryan LaHair single to center scored Starlin Castro. Runner on first with two outs and Alfonso Soriano due up.
Reds 2, Cubs 2 Bot 5, 2 OutsApr 22 4:00 PM - Starlin Castro advances to second on Johnny Cueto's throwing error. Runner on second with two outs and Bryan LaHair at the plate.
Reds 2, Cubs 1 Bot 5, 2 OutsApr 22 3:59 PM - Ryan Ludwick lined out to center. Runner on second with one out and Jay Bruce due up.
Reds 1, Cubs 0 Top 3, 1 OutApr 22 3:07 PM - CINCINNATI: 0
CHICAGO: 0
Top 1, 0 Outs
Apr 22 2:21 PM
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