Barnhart's 3-Run Homer Lifts Reds Past Cubs, 5-3
CHICAGO (AP) -- The bullpen flopped, the offense disappeared late and the Chicago Cubs again couldn't escape their worst funk this season.
Tucker Barnhart hit a go-ahead, three-run homer off Trevor Cahill in the seventh inning, and the Cincinnati Reds beat Chicago, 5-3, Wednesday -- the Cubs' 12th loss in 17 games.
A day after having seven players selected for next week's All-Star Game, the Cubs lost to the last-place Reds for the second time in three days and dropped below Texas for the best record in the major leagues.
"I can't connect a bunch of negative dots. It just happened," manager Joe Maddon, who believes this poor stretch is more a "snapshot" than a sign of bigger problems.
"I'm not really that concerned," he said.
Still, the Cubs had been atop the majors since April. Shortstop Addison Russell, part of the entire infield voted in as NL starters, couldn't explain how they've lost their form.
"The past few weeks it hasn't been working," Russell said, "but we still have high hopes and high faith."
Chicago led 3-1 when Brandon Phillips and Jose Peraza hit consecutive one-out singles against Cahill (1-3) and Barnhart sent a 2-2 sinker into the basket in center field for his third home run this year.
"It brought everyone to life, I can tell you that," Reds manager Bryan Price said.
Zack Cozart homered for the third straight game, starting Cincinnati's offense with his eighth career leadoff homer. The Reds' lone All-Star, Adam Duvall, walked and scored on Carl Edwards Jr.'s wild pitch in the eighth.
Anthony DeSclafani (3-0) allowed three runs and eight hits in six innings, struck out six and walked none. Michael Lorenzen pitched two hitless innings, and Tony Cingrani got three straight outs for his 10th save in 15 chances.
The Reds improved to 3-10 against their division rivals.
"We should be more competitive against everybody, I think, once we get our pitching into good shape," Price said. "I think we're closer."
Adam Warren was called up from Triple-A Iowa to give the Chicago rotation extra rest with a spot start, and he allowed three hits in five innings, retiring his final 11 batters.
Russell hit an RBI double in the second and scored on Miguel Montero's single, and Ben Zobrist's fifth-inning homer gave the Cubs a 3-1 lead.
But the Cubs didn't have a hit after the fifth inning. They're 1-5 in their last six home games after starting 25-8 at Wrigley Field.
"Listen, the big thing we need to do better in the latter part of the game is scoring runs," Maddon said. "If it's close, we're behind or it's tied we're just not doing a really good job of finishing off games offensively."
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