Jake Fraley helps Reds cruise past Cubs

Jake Fraley went 3-for-3 and Nick Lodolo was solid through six innings to help the Cincinnati Reds take the series against the host Chicago Cubs with a 5-1 win on Sunday.

Lodolo (5-2) gave up two runs on two hits and struck out three in six innings. Alexis Diaz tossed a no-hit ninth for his 12th save.

Cubs starter Ben Brown (1-2) pitched five innings, allowing five runs on six hits and fanning six.

The Reds jumped out to a big lead in the second inning for the second straight game. Fraley led off with a double, Tyler Stephenson singled to center, and Jacob Hurtubise was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Jonathan India drove in Fraley with a sacrifice fly to put Cincinnati ahead 1-0.

After Will Benson struck out swinging, TJ Friedl cleared the bases with a three-run shot to right-center field, pushing it to 4-0.

The Reds connected again in the third. Jeimer Candelario singled and advanced to third on Spencer Steer's base hit that followed. Candelario, who went 2-for-4, then scored on Fraley's sacrifice fly to right field to make it 5-0.

Brown entered the game, allowing only two hits combined across his previous three appearances (two starts).

After briefly threatening in the third with a single and a walk, the Cubs got on the board in the fifth. Nico Hoerner hit a one-out single to left field and went to third on Seiya Suzuki's ground-ball single to right. Cody Bellinger then stepped up and connected on a fastball for a single to center field, scoring Hoerner to cut the deficit to 5-1.

Bellinger went 3-for-4.

In the sixth, Patrick Wisdom and Ian Happ hit back-to-back singles to open the inning. Wisdom made it to third on a fielder's choice and scored to narrow it to 5-2 on another force-out.

Cincinnati shortstop Elly De La Cruz was 0-for-5 on the day, striking out four times. He finished the series 0-for-14 with nine strikeouts.

--Field Level Media