Soler Has 2 Hits, But Reds Top Cubs
CINCINNATI (AP) — Billy Hamilton stole his 51st base and the Cincinnati Reds swiped six in all, beating the Chicago Cubs, 7-2, on Thursday at Great American Ball Park.
Zack Cozart and Todd Frazier each stole twice, and Kristopher Negron added one more.
The Reds stole six times in the first four innings, using six hits and four walks to build a 6-0 lead against Jake Arrieta (7-5).
Cincinnati stole three in a three-run second inning and two in a three-run fourth.
Dylan Axelrod (1-0) pitched five scoreless innings of two-hit ball and struck out eight.
Cubs rookie Jorge Soler doubled and singled in his second major league game and drove in a run. He homered and singled in his debut on Wednesday.
Hamilton set the tone right away. He drew a leadoff walk in the first and stole second on the next pitch.
Hamilton went 2-for-2 with a double and walked twice. Dee Gordon of the Dodgers began the day leading the majors with 58 steals.
Negron and Cozart each stole and scored in the second. Cozart and Frazier both stole and scored in the fourth.
On Tuesday, Cozart had three hits, including a double, and scored three times.
Reds relievers Pedro Villareal and Logan Ondrusek combined for three perfect innings. The Cubs scored two runs off Jumbo Diaz in the ninth.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Cubs: 1B Anthony Rizzo was out of the lineup for the second straight day with tightness in his lower back. Manager Rick Renteria hopes to have him back for the upcoming series in St. Louis.
Reds: RHP Homer Bailey and 1B Joey Votto are progressing at a slow rate. The Reds plan to call up seven to nine players on Monday when rosters expand to 40, according to manager Bryan Price.
UP NEXT
Cubs: Kyle Hendricks (5-1) will open the four-game series in St. Louis on Friday. He had a rain-shortened, two-inning start Aug. 23 against Baltimore.
Reds: Mike Leake (10-11) will begin the opener of a three-game series in Pittsbutgh on Friday. Leake is 5-0 in 11 starts against Pittsburgh since a 3-2 loss on May 5, 2012.
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