Chicago, IL – Bronson Arroyo threw seven scoreless innings and the Cincinnati Reds completed a sweep of a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs with a 5-0 shutout.
Arroyo (11-9) allowed just two hits and struck out seven in his outing.
"It's late in the year and if you can save a few bullets for later on in September when we're really going to need them against a team like the Cardinals or something, it's nice to go out there and have an easy outing, as far as not beating my body down physically," Arroyo said.
Todd Frazier had a home run and two RBI while Joey Votto, Ryan Hanigan and Zack Cozart drove in a run apiece for the Reds, who have won four straight and seven of their last eight games.
Chicago starter Chris Rusin (2-2) gave up two runs on three hits and a walk over six frames.
"I just go game to game and go from there," said Rusin. "That's what helps me because if I put too much pressure on myself, that's when you start making mistake and trying to be too perfect."
The Cubs are on a four-game losing streak.
Frazier got things started with a home run in the first inning.
In the fifth, Cozart hit a one-out single to left and scored on Hanigan's double to right. Two innings later, Cozart plated Jay Bruce with a two-out double to left for a 3-0 lead.
The Reds pulled away even further in the eighth. After Chris Heisey reached first on a fielding error by third baseman Cody Ransom, Frazier delivered an RBI double to left and scored on Votto's double to right.
Meanwhile, Arroyo was lights-out. He retired the first nine batters in the game before giving up a leadoff single to David DeJesus in the fourth. The only other hit he allowed was a one-out infield single by Darnell McDonald in the seventh.
Alfredo Simon threw a 1-2-3 eighth in relief of Arroyo. In the ninth, Jonathan Broxton hit DeJesus with a pitch with two outs, but finished the Cubs off by getting McDonald to fly out to center field.
Game Notes
The Reds have won 22 of their last 26 games against the Cubs, including 14 of the last 15 at Wrigley Field ... Frazier's last home run came on July 1 ... Cincinnati recorded five doubles (Hanigan, Bruce, Cozart, Frazier, Votto) ... Ransom has a career-high eight errors this season... The Cubs were 0-for-7 with runners in scoring position in this series ... Chicago has an off day Thursday, while the Reds begin a four-game series in Milwaukee.
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