Kyle Hendricks threw 7 1/3 shutout innings in what could be his final start for the Chicago Cubs, guiding them to a 3-0 victory over the visiting Cincinnati Reds in the second game of their three-game series on Saturday afternoon.
Hendricks, who has been with the Cubs since 2014 and helped them win a World Series title in 2016, struck out two and walked two on 81 pitches.
Hendricks got the first batter of the eighth inning before he was replaced by Tyson Miller (5-1), getting hugs from his teammates and a standing ovation from the crowd, as well as the Reds.
Porter Hodge pitched the ninth for his ninth save.
Seiya Suzuki had two hits and scored a run for the Cubs (83-78), who won the series opener 1-0 on Friday.
Reds starter Rhett Lowder threw five shutout innings, allowing three hits with one strikeout and three walks.
The Reds (76-85) have lost five in a row and haven’t scored in the past 19 innings.
Dansby Swanson doubled into the left-field corner off Buck Farmer (3-2) to start the eighth. Justin Wilson entered and Cody Bellinger hit his first pitch into center field for a single, putting runners on the corners.
Suzuki was intentionally walked to load the bases and Isaac Paredes followed with a pinch-hit RBI single into center field to give Chicago a 1-0 lead.
Pete Crow-Armstrong came through with a one-out single to center to plate another run and extend the lead to 2-0. With the bases loaded, Mike Tauchman then drew a pinch-hit walk on four pitches to make it 3-0.
The Cubs threatened through the first five innings against Lowder, but to no avail.
After stranding runners on the corners in the first inning, Nico Hoerner reached base to start the second when shortstop Elly De La Cruz made a fielding error on his backhand try, but Hoerner was later caught stealing to end the inning.
The Cubs then left the bases loaded in the third.
Miguel Amaya, the No. 9 hitter for Chicago, lined a single into left to start the fifth, but the top of the order couldn’t take advantage and the Cubs never put a runner in scoring position in the inning.
Tony Santillan replaced Lowder to start the sixth and Suzuki greeted him with a leadoff single, but he also never left first base.
–Field Level Media
