Littell and Steer help the Reds top the sagging Cubs 5-1

CHICAGO (AP) — Zack Littell struck out eight in seven crisp innings in his Cincinnati debut, and the Reds beat the slumping Chicago Cubs 5-1 on Tuesday night.

Littell (9-8) allowed three hits and walked two in his first start since he was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay last week.

Spencer Steer hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in Cincinnati's four-run seventh. The Reds (60-54) won for the third time in four games.

Matt Shaw homered for the Cubs (65-48), who finished with four hits. They had just three hits in Monday night's 3-2 loss in the series opener.

The Cubs have dropped three of four. They trail the NL Central-leading Brewers by four games.

Steer singled home Miguel Andujar in the fifth, but Shaw responded with his seventh homer in the bottom half of the inning.

The Reds grabbed control in the seventh against Andrew Kittredge (2-3). Austin Hays walked, Andujar singled and Steer hit a drive to left-center for his 13th homer. Santiago Espinal added a sacrifice fly.

It was Kittredge's third appearance since he was acquired in a trade with Baltimore.

Andujar collected his first two hits with the Reds after coming over in a trade deadline deal with the Athletics. TJ Friedl also had two hits.

Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga struck out seven in 6 1/3 innings. He was charged with one run and three hits.

The Cubs had a chance to grab an early lead, putting runners on first and second with none out in the first. But Kyle Tucker, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Willi Castro struck out swinging.

The Reds went 3 for 5 with runners in scoring position. The Cubs went 0 for 6 in those situations.

Reds All-Star LHP Andrew Abbott (8-1, 2.15 ERA) faces Cubs rookie RHP Cade Horton (5-2, 3.42 ERA) in the series finale on Wednesday.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga, of Japan, throws against the Cincinnati Reds during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Cincinnati Reds' Spencer Steer celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a three-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Cincinnati Reds' Spencer Steer, center, celebrates with Austin Hays, left, and Miguel Andujar after hitting a three-run home run during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Chicago Cubs in Chicago, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Zack Littell throws against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. (AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh)

BUFFALO, N.Y. (AP) — Rasmus Dahlin scored a pair of power-play goals and the Buffalo Sabres won for the 14th time in their last 16 games, 5-2 over the Philadelphia Flyers on Wednesday night.

Mattias Samuelsson, Jack Quinn and Ryan McLeod also scored goals, while Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen made 20 saves. Josh Doan and Tage Thompson had a pair of assists each for a Sabres team that had just 14 shots and was coming off a Monday night loss to Florida.

Owen Tippett and Trevor Zegras scored for the Flyers, who lost their fourth in a row. Dan Vladar started in net and made three saves in the first period before getting injured and being replaced at the start of the second by Sam Ersson, who made six saves.

Dahlin gave the Sabres the lead at 9:30 of the first period, his first goal since Dec. 20.

Samuelsson made it 2-0 with 4:47 left in the first. Samuelsson now has eight goals this season, one more than his first five NHL seasons combined.

Quinn scored at 4:22 of the second to make it 3-0 before Tippett scored his sixth goal in his last 12 games midway through the period.

Dahlin’s second power-play goal of the night made it 4-1 after two. The Sabres had been on a 1 for 21 stretch on the power play before Wednesday night.

Zegras scored on the power play to make it 4-2 before McLeod added an empty-netter in the last minute.

The Flyers said Vladar will be reevaluated after the game.

The Sabres lost Josh Norris to an upper-body injury after he assisted on Dahlin's second goal.

Flyers: Visit Pittsburgh on Thursday night.

Sabres: Host Montreal on Thursday night.

AP NHL: https://www.apnews.com/nhl

Buffalo Sabres goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen makes a save during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the Anaheim Ducks, Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, in Buffalo, N.Y. (AP Photo/Jeffrey T. Barnes)