Brett Jackson homers, Cubs split doubleheader with Reds
CINCINNATI — Brett Jackson hit his first career home run to help Brooks Raley earn his first major league win, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 9-7 victory over the Cincinnati Reds and a split of their day-night doubleheader on Saturday.
Starlin Castro had three hits and two RBIs as the Cubs rebounded after losing the first two in the four-game weekend series. David DeJesus added his fifth home run of the season in the ninth.
Raley (1-2) gave up four runs, three earned, and five hits in 5 1-3 innings.
Ryan Ludwick went deep twice and drove in three runs for the Reds, who had won seven of eight. It was Ludwick's fourth multihomer game of the season and leaves him tied with Jay Bruce for the team lead with 25 homers on the year.
The Reds won the opener 5-3 behind ace Johnny Cueto, who pitched eight crisp innings. Todd Frazier also had a go-ahead homer for the second straight game.
The Cubs jumped all over Todd Redmond (0-1) in the nightcap. Redmond (0-1) gave up four runs and seven hits in 3 1-3 innings in his major league debut. He struck out two and walked five.
Redmond was the sixth pitcher to start for Cincinnati this season. The Reds used the same five starters for the first 120 games, a modern franchise record and a key reason for their surge to the top of the NL Central.
Jackson sparked the Cubs' 13-hit attack with a drive into visitors' bullpen down the right-field line on a 1-1 pitch in the second, making it 1-0.
Chicago built an 8-2 lead, then held on as the Reds battered its beleaguered bullpen. Carlos Marmol worked the ninth for his 15th save in 17 chances.
The Reds came out of the doubleheader with a 6½-game lead over second-place Pittsburgh.
Cueto (16-6) gave up two runs and three hits, drawing a standing ovation when he walked off the mound for the last time. He also hit David DeJesus, the first batter of the game.
Cueto, who didn't allow a runner past first base after the first inning and retired 19 of the last 20 batters he faced, is the first Cincinnati pitcher since Danny Jackson in 1988 to win 16 of his first 25 starts. He has won seven of his last eight appearances to move into a tie with Tampa Bay's David Price for the major league lead in wins.
Aroldis Chapman allowed two hits, a walk and a run — his first in 24 appearances — but held on for his 29th save.
Cubs slugger Alfonso Soriano drove a 3-2 pitch 433 feet into the second deck in left field with two outs in the first inning for his 22nd homer. The two RBIs gave Soriano 1,000 for his career.
Jeff Samardzija (8-11) gave up four runs and six hits in five innings for Chicago. He struck out five, walked none, hit a batter and threw a wild pitch.
The right-hander is 1-3 with a 4.07 ERA in four starts this month.
NOTES: The Cubs are working on a new contract for SS Castro, but general manager Theo Epstein said nothing has been finalized yet. ... Both teams recalled pitchers from their Triple-A affiliates to start the second game of the doubleheader. The Cubs promoted Raley from Iowa, while the Reds recalled Redmond from Louisville. ... Neither team was required to send anybody out to make room. Major League Baseball rules allow teams to add a 26th player to their active roster for doubleheaders such as Saturday's, which was scheduled after a May 1 postponement. ... Soriano joined Barry Bonds, Andre Dawson, Willie Mays, Alex Rodriguez and Gary Sheffield as the only major league players with at least 1,000 RBIs, 400 doubles, 350 home runs and 250 stolen bases in their careers.