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Chicago Cubs beat up Reds, snap losing streak

Just one day later, all is happy in Cubs land.

"Yeah, the power of 24 hours," manager Joe Maddon said Monday, after his team thrashed the Cincinnati Reds 10-4 at Wrigley Field to snap a four-game losing streak, all 4 of those losses coming to the New York Mets, capped by Sunday's 14-3 drubbing.

"We had a tough stay in New York City, and they played really well against us. We came out (Monday) and got our offense going."

It also might have helped that the Cubs beat their favorite whipping boys, the last-place Cincinnati Reds. On that score, Maddon was not diminishing was his team did in beating the Reds for the 10th time in 11 games this year.

"Hey, it's better than not beating the Reds," said Maddon, whose first-place team improved to 52-30 to begin the second half of the season. "We've always normally done well against really good teams.

"When people say that kind of stuff, they have no idea what it takes to win a major-league baseball game. They have no concept. I don't expect them to.

"We came out today. We had lost four in a row. Day game after day game. Flight, as (the Reds) did. Then you come on in, and your guys come out ready to play. That speaks loudly about that particular group. The group (of people) that wants to go there, wants to take a trip to negative town, believe me, it's not that easy."

Maddon made some changes for this game. The most notable was dropping right fielder Jason Heyward from the second spot in the batting order to No. 6.

Heyward responded with a 2-RBI double in the Cubs' 3-run first inning. Heyward later walked and beat out an infield hit.

"It's another spot in the lineup that you've got to go through and let the game come to you," said Heyward, whose batting average rose from .231 to .235. "Obviously the spot comes around less during the game, so there's that.

"But other than that, I feel that more times than not there's going to be guys on base, and that's an opportunity to go do some damage (hitting sixth) and help your team."

The arrangement with Heyward might last through the games leading up to next week's all-star break.

The Cubs put this game away in the second inning, when Kris Bryant hit a 2-run homer (No. 24 this season) and Willson Contreras hit a solo shot (No. 5).

Pitcher Kyle Hendricks, the No. 5 starter, proved to be the stopper, as he improved to 7-6 with a 2.61 ERA.

Maddon says he does not even think of Hendricks as a No. 5.

"This guy is just a good starting pitcher," Maddon said. "It's a wonderful classic example of not having to throw 90-some miles an hour to be effective and, furthermore, be right-handed.

"Most of the time when you get a guy that's effective in the high 80s to low 90s, he's normally a left-handed pitcher. It's not often you see a right-handed pitcher doing what he's doing right now. So give him credit."

Hendricks was happy to accept the compliment, but he said he knows his standing in the rotation.

"That's definitely a compliment," he said. "On this team I definitely am; I'm the 5-guy. That's where I am right now, which is fine. I don't really think about it like that. I just know when he gives me the ball, I'm going out there and trying to do whatever I can do. It's keeping the team in the game, making good pitches. So that's just my role."

Outfield communication important

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