Rookie Cade Horton threw 5 2/3 shutout innings to lift the host Chicago Cubs to a 6-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday.
The win allowed the Cubs to avoid getting swept for the first time since losing twice to the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo to open the season.
Horton (6-3) allowed two hits, no walks, and struck out six on 67 pitches. The right-hander threw 56 strikes for a rate of 83.6 percent.
His 23 1/3 scoreless innings streak is the longest by a rookie in Cubs history.
Cubs relievers Drew Pomeranz, Andrew Kittredge and Brad Keller retired all eight batters they faced after Horton left the game. Daniel Palencia then closed out the game despite giving up a run in the ninth inning.
Andrew Abbott (8-2) put forth a quality effort but took the loss. The left-hander, who was 2-0 against the Cubs this season, went 6 2/3, giving up seven hits and four runs. He walked two and struck out three on 100 pitches.
The Cubs started the scoring in the third when Nico Hoerner and Justin Turner led off with singles. Seiya Suzuki followed with a line-drive shot to left-center that looked like it was headed to the gap. Jake Fraley, however, was able to make a diving catch. Hoerner tagged up and scored for a 1-0 Cubs lead.
The Reds managed to get runners to second base twice against Horton. Spencer Steer reached second when Matt Shaw missed his pop-up behind third. Horton struck out Elly De La Cruz and retired Austin Hays on a fly-out to end the threat.
Hays doubled with two outs in the fourth, but Horton struck out Gavin Lux to end the inning.
The Cubs added insurance runs in the sixth and seventh innings when Suzuki and Dansby Swanson hit leadoff home runs, their 27th and 18th home runs of the year, respectively.
The Cubs rallied for a fourth run with two outs in the seventh. Turner doubled to chase Abbott, Suzuki walked, and Carson Kelly singled in Turner.
Ian Happ hit his 16th home run of the season in the eighth inning, and Hoerner drove in Matt Shaw with two outs to cap the scoring for the Cubs.
The Reds scored their lone run in the ninth when TJ Friedl scored on a Hays groundout.
–Field Level Media
