Eugenio Suárez and Yasiel Puig each hit his 22nd home run of the season, and the Cincinnati Reds rallied past the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Monday night.
Jesse Winker raced home with an unearned go-ahead run to cap a two-run seventh inning that made a winner of All-Star Luis Castillo.
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Eugenio Suárez and Yasiel Puig each hit his 22nd home run of the season, and the Cincinnati Reds rallied past the Chicago Cubs 6-3 on Monday night.
Winker advanced to second when shortstop Javier Báez couldn't handle Nick Senzel's grounder. Winker came home when Suárez's hard bouncer slipped over David Bote's glove at third.
Kyle Schwarber hit his 20th home run and doubled. Jason Heyward came through with two more singles and an RBI, but the Cubs fell flat after a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh.
Hendricks' defense helped him escape a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the third. Bote blocked Puig's smash down the line, recovered and then threw wide. First baseman Anthony Rizzo stretched, snared the ball and kept his right foot on the bag just long enough to record the out.
Puig's high fly to left in the sixth was pushed by a steady wind before landing the basket in left to cut it to 3-2.
Epstein expects the 2016 World Series MVP to rejoin the Cubs this season. "Hopefully we can get some kind of plan in place," Epstein said.
Cubs: All-Star C Willson Contreras (sore foot) didn't start for a second straight day, but was available off the bench. Manager Joe Maddon plans to start Contreras on Tuesday. . LHP Cole Hamels (left oblique strain) threw on flat ground again and is expected to progress to a bullpen in the next few days. Hamels has been out since getting injured in a start at Cincinnati on June 28.
Curt Casali sent the first pitch from reliever Steve Cishek (2-5) in the seventh into the left-field bleachers to tie it at 3. Winker pinch-hit for Castillo and singled, then the Reds jumped on errors by two usually sure-handed Cubs infielders to take the lead.
Cincinnati Reds' Curt Casali celebrates after hitting a solo home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, July 15, 2019, in Chicago. (AP PhotoPaul Beaty)
Winker advanced to second when shortstop Javier Báez couldn't handle Nick Senzel's grounder. Winker came home when Suárez's hard bouncer slipped over David Bote's glove at third.
Pinch-hitter Kyle Farmer and reliever Michael Lorenzen singled home insurance runs in the eighth as Cincinnati improved to 7-3 against the NL Central leaders.
Castillo (9-3) allowed three runs on seven hits and struck out 10 through six innings. Raisel Iglesias got five outs for his 17th save.
The suns sets behind Great American Ball Park during the second inning of a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, July 15, 2019, in Chicago. (AP PhotoPaul Beaty)
Kyle Schwarber hit his 20th home run and doubled. Jason Heyward came through with two more singles and an RBI, but the Cubs fell flat after a three-game sweep of Pittsburgh.
Chicago's Kyle Hendricks was sharp through six innings in his third start following a 17-day stint on the injured list with shoulder inflammation. The right-hander allowed two runs and four hits.
Suárez hit a full-count pitch into the basket in left-center to put the Reds ahead 1-0 in the first.
Cincinnati Reds closing pitcher Raisel Iglesias celebrates after defeating the Chicago Cubs in a baseball game Monday, July 15, 2019, in Chicago. (AP PhotoPaul Beaty)
Hendricks' defense helped him escape a two-out, bases-loaded jam in the third. Bote blocked Puig's smash down the line, recovered and then threw wide. First baseman Anthony Rizzo stretched, snared the ball and kept his right foot on the bag just long enough to record the out.
Schwarber homered to left-center with two outs in the third to tie it at 1 and end Castillo's scoreless streak at 15 1/3 innings.
The Cubs took a 3-1 lead in the fourth. Kris Bryant walked and Rizzo doubled him to third. Bryant scored on Victor Caratini's groundout and Rizzo came home on a wild pitch.
Chicago Cubs second baseman Addison Russell, right, catches a fly ball hit by Cincinnati Reds' Yasiel Puig while colliding with teammate Kris Bryant, left, during the first inning of a baseball game Monday, July 15, 2019, in Chicago. (AP PhotoPaul Beaty)
Puig's high fly to left in the sixth was pushed by a steady wind before landing the basket in left to cut it to 3-2.
ZOBRIST ON RADAR
Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said he'll talk to Ben Zobrist soon to get a clearer picture on when the 38-year-old utilityman might return. Zobrist is going through a divorce and has been on the restricted list since May 8.
Cincinnati Reds starter Luis Castillo delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, July 15, 2019, in Chicago. (AP PhotoPaul Beaty)
Epstein expects the 2016 World Series MVP to rejoin the Cubs this season. "Hopefully we can get some kind of plan in place," Epstein said.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: LHP Amir Garrett, on the IL since July 5 (left lat strain), joined the team in Chicago, but manager David Bell said he will not pitch in the series. Garrett threw a side session and will throw live batting practice Wednesday. ... Winker (strained side) didn't start after leaving Sunday's game in Colorado after he hurt himself on a swing in the sixth inning.
Cincinnati Reds' Eugenio Suarez (7) celebrates with teammate Yasiel Puig, right, at home plate after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs, Monday, July 15, 2019, in Chicago. (AP PhotoPaul Beaty)
Cubs: All-Star C Willson Contreras (sore foot) didn't start for a second straight day, but was available off the bench. Manager Joe Maddon plans to start Contreras on Tuesday. . LHP Cole Hamels (left oblique strain) threw on flat ground again and is expected to progress to a bullpen in the next few days. Hamels has been out since getting injured in a start at Cincinnati on June 28.
UP NEXT
Cincinnati RHP Anthony DeSclafani (5-4, 4.26 ERA) takes the mound Tuesday against Chicago RHP Alec Mills, who will make his season debut. DeSclafani is 3-1 in his last six starts and has held opponents to two or fewer runs in five of them. Mills is 6-2 with a 4.73 ERA at Triple-A Iowa. He appeared in seven games for the Cubs last season.
Chicago Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks delivers a pitch during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, July 15, 2019, in Chicago. (AP PhotoPaul Beaty)
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