Bellinger lifts Cubs to win as Ashcraft finds hassle in sixth

CINCINNATI — In the primary of two video games on Friday, and the four-game sequence total that carries additional that means within the National League Wild Card race, the Cubs earned a 6-2 victory over the Reds at Great American Ball Park

Cody Bellinger delivered two hits and three RBIs for Chicago, together with a house run within the fourth inning and the go-ahead runs with a two-run single within the sixth inning. 

The win helped the Cubs increase their lead for the second National League Wild Card spot to 2 video games, whereas inching to 2 1/2 video games behind the Brewers for first place within the NL Central Division race. Since Chicago and Milwaukee have cut up their season sequence 5-5 thus far, the tiebreaker will come right down to when the golf equipment meet within the closing sequence of the 12 months.

As for Cincinnati, it dropped to 2 video games behind the Giants for the third and closing NL Wild Card spot, with the D-backs sitting between the 2 golf equipment. The Reds have a tiebreaker benefit over Arizona however not San Francisco by advantage of their season sequence.

Reds starter Graham Ashcraft pitched five-plus innings and retired 9 of his first 10 batters. It was a scoreless recreation with two outs within the prime of the fourth when Bellinger lifted Ashcraft’s 0-1 pitch to proper subject for a solo homer. In the underside half of the inning in opposition to Cubs rookie left-hander Jordan Wicks, the Reds obtained a game-tying RBI single to middle subject from Noelvi Marte that scored Nick Senzel.

Wicks allowed one run and 5 hits over 5 innings, with three walks and three strikeouts.

Ashcraft bumped into fast hassle within the prime of the sixth inning when Nico Hoener led off with a single to proper subject and went to 3rd base on Ian Happ’s double to the hole in left-center subject.

Reds supervisor David Bell summoned Lucas Sims to work out of the jam, however the transfer backfired when Sims’ first-pitch fastball to Bellinger went for a two-run single to proper subject to make it a two-run recreation. Bellinger has 21 RBIs over his final 13 video games.

The Reds introduced after the sport that Ashcraft departed with a toe harm, for which he acquired an MRI.

The Reds had the tying run on first base with runners on the corners within the seventh inning with reliever Julian Merryweather on the mound when Elly De La Cruz grounded into an inning-ending double play. In the highest of the eighth, Seiya Suzuki offered the Cubs with an insurance coverage run by hitting a solo homer to middle subject. Ian Happ added a two-run homer of his personal within the prime of the ninth.