Taillon pitches 7 crisp innings as the Cubs blank the Reds 1-0

CHICAGO (AP) - Jameson Taillon pitched seven crisp innings in his second straight win, and the Chicago Cubs beat the Cincinnati Reds 1-0 on Friday in the opener of their season-ending series.

Taillon (12-8) allowed four hits, struck out two and walked two on a blustery, overcast afternoon at Wrigley Field. The right-hander went 4-0 with a 1.63 ERA in the last six starts of his second year with the Cubs.

Tyson Miller got three outs before Porter Hodge finished the four-hitter for his eighth save. The game was completed in 1 hour, 48 minutes.

Chicago (82-78) clinched a winning season and improved to 4-7 against Cincinnati this year. The Cubs began the season with playoff aspirations under new manager Craig Counsell, but they were derailed by injuries and an inconsistent lineup.

Cincinnati (76-84) wasted another stellar performance by Nick Martinez (10-7), who pitched eight innings of one-run ball in his first loss since Aug. 16. The right-hander was 4-0 with a 0.73 ERA in his last four starts.

The Reds lost for the sixth time in eight games. They failed to advance a runner to third.

The Cubs got their only run in the fifth. Nico Hoerner hit a leadoff double, advanced to third on Pete Crow-Armstrong’s sacrifice bunt and scampered home on Miguel Amaya’s sacrifice fly.

Hoerner slid in safely just ahead of Jake Fraley’s throw from right field.

Cincinnati had multiple baserunners in just one inning. TJ Friedl and Ty France walked with one out in the second, but Fraley and Santiago Espinal flied out.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: C Tyler Stephenson was checked on by a trainer after he was clipped by a foul ball in the fifth. But he stayed in the game.

Cubs: OF Seiya Suzuki (ankle) was out of the starting lineup for the second straight game. Manager Craig Counsell said Suzuki hit in the cage and did some running. "He’s available today and optimistic he can play tomorrow," Counsell said.

UP NEXT

Right-handers Rhett Lowder (2-2, 1.40 ERA) and Kyle Hendricks (4-12, 6.28 ERA) take the mound on Saturday. Lowder pitched five scoreless innings in Cincinnati’s 7-1 victory over Pittsburgh last weekend. Hendricks, who is eligible for free agency after this season, is making what could be his last start for Chicago.

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