Cubs' skid hits 8 games
CINCINNATI — The Cubs' skid hit eight straight games, with plenty of blame to go around.
Miguel Cairo hit a grand slam to help make Edinson Volquez's return to the majors a success and the Cincinnati Reds continued their dominance of Chicago with an 8-2 win Tuesday night.
"It's a new day, but it seems like everyday is the same because we're losing," Cubs starter Doug Davis said. "I don't know how the guys that play everyday handle it. I've only been out there for two of the eight. If guys are struggling everyday, that must be tougher. We could score more runs, but if I could keep the leadoff hitter off the bases, it would make it easier. Four of the five innings the leadoff hitter was on. It's tough pitching out of the stretch so much."
Davis was already behind 2-1 when Volquez and Drew Stubbs opened the fifth inning with singles. He compounded the problem by walking Brandon Phillips and Joey Votto. He struck out Jay Bruce and wanted to pitch out of the inning.
"Every starter wants to work out of that situation," Davis said. "(Jonny) Gomes is aggressive and that works into the way I pitch. Disappointed yes."
Manager Mike Quade elected to call in Rodrigo Lopez to face Gomes.
"I saw a chance for a double play with right-handed hitters coming up," Quade said. "I know Doug wanted to work out of it."
Gomes hit a sacrifice fly to score Stubbs with the fourth run and Cairo hit into an inning ending force.
"Lopez did a good job," Davis said.
The Cubs got 10 hits for the second night in a row but scored just one run through eight innings.
"We talk about it ad nauseum about getting runners on and not scoring any runs," Quade said. "Blake Dewitt and Darwin Barney had good games but no one else did much. We haven't had a game in, I don't know when that a lot of guys contributed."
The lack of offense is wearing on the pitchers but Davis avoided calling out his teammates as Carlos Zambrano did on Sunday.
"When you're going bad, everyone wants to point fingers," Davis said. "You have to look at the guy in the mirror and that has nothing to do with what Z said."
Volquez (4-2), recalled earlier Tuesday from Triple-A Louisville, lasted a season-high seven innings. He allowed one run and seven hits while walking two and striking out five. He improved his career record against Chicago to 4-0 in six starts
He also contributed two sacrifice bunts and a rally starting single as Cincinnati sent the Cubs to their eighth consecutive loss — their longest skid since losing eight in a row from May 15 through May 25 of last season.
The Reds are 6-1 this season against Chicago, including 4-0 in Cincinnati, and 18-5 over the last two seasons, 10-3 in Cincinnati.
The Reds were up 4-1 in the seventh when Cairo hit his second career grand slam — a 406-foot shot to left on a 1-1 pitch from John Grabow — and first since Aug. 12, 2004, for the New York Yankees at Texas.
Volquez, who cut his familiar dreadlocks, turned in a scoreless first inning for just the fourth time in his 11 starts this season, but the Cubs got back-to-back doubles by Aramis Ramirez and DeWitt starting the second inning to take a 1-0 lead. They loaded the bases as Volquez threw 30 pitches, just 13 for strikes, before Barney grounded out to end the threat.
Davis, who's lost all five of his starts since being called up on May 14 from Triple-A Iowa, allowed seven hits and four runs — all earned — with three walks and four strikeouts in 4 1-3 innings.
NOTES: The Reds optioned RHP Daryl Thompson to Triple-A Louisville to make room for Volquez. ... LHP Aroldis Chapman's rehab assignment was switched to Double-Carolina, mainly because of convenience with Louisville on the road. "The competition doesn't matter as much as getting on the mound," manager Dusty Baker said. "Right now, his competition is himself." ... Cubs left fielder Blake DeWitt had three hits for the second consecutive night and third time in his last eight games. Since May 31, he is 13-for-30 (.433), raising his overall average from .239 to .316.