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Joey Votto belts 300th homer as Cincinnati Reds top Chicago Cubs

Apr 30, 2021; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto (19) reacts with right fielder Nick Castellanos (middle) and shortstop Eugenio Suarez (right) after hitting a two-run home run, the 300th of his major league career during the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports
David Kohl-USA TODAY Sports

Joey Votto hit his 300th career homer and drove in three runs as the Cincinnati Reds snapped a four-game home losing streak by hanging on for an 8-6 victory over the struggling Chicago Cubs on Friday night.

Eugenio Suarez and Nick Senzel also homered for the Reds, who scored three in the third inning and four in the fourth. They led 8-2 after six but had to sweat out the ending.

Down 8-4 entering the ninth, Chicago loaded the bases with no outs before getting a sacrifice fly from Javier Baez and a run-scoring walk from Jake Marisnick. Tejay Antone took over on the mound got David Bote to ground out for the final out with the bases loaded, earning his first career save.

Cincinnati has won three of four following a seven-game losing streak. Chicago lost for the sixth time in seven games and dropped to 1-4 on a seven-game trip.

Trailing 2-0 in the third, Cincinnati got a run back when starting pitcher Wade Miley singled and eventually scored on Nick Castellanos’ groundout. Votto then gave the Reds a 3-2 lead with his milestone homer, two-run blast off Jake Arrieta (3-3) high into the right field stands.

It was the fifth homer of the year for the 37-year-old veteran, who is the ninth active player to reach 300 homers. He ranked third in homers in club history, trailing Johnny Bench (389) and Frank Robinson (324).

Chicago’s Kris Bryant clubbed his seventh homer and later added an RBI double during a two-run seventh to post his third straight two-hit game. Arrieta lasted just 3 1/3 innings, allowing seven runs and seven hits, including three homers. He walked one and struck out two.

Miley (2-3) yielded single runs in the first two innings but no more in his five-inning outing. He gave up five hits and two walks while fanning three.

Javier Baez had two RBIs for the Cubs, who saw catcher Willson Contreras exit in the fifth inning with an apparent leg injury.

–Field Level Media

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