Friedl hits a tiebreaking single in the 7th inning as the Reds edge the Cubs 3-2

CHICAGO — TJ Friedl hit a tiebreaking RBI single in the seventh inning, and the Cincinnati Reds held off the Chicago Cubs for a 3-2 win on Monday night.

Tyler Stephenson homered for Cincinnati, and Elly De La Cruz had an RBI double. The Reds (59-54) had dropped four of six.

Dansby Swanson hit his 17th homer for the Cubs (65-47), who fell three games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee.

With two outs and runners on the corners in the seventh, Friedl drove in Jake Fraley with a looper into center field against Caleb Thielbar. Ryan Brasier (0-1) got the loss.

The Cubs threatened in the bottom half, advancing Willi Castro to third with two down. Swanson then hit a chopper to third and was ruled safe.

The Reds challenged, and the call was overturned when a replay review showed Swanson missed the bag initially as he crossed first base.

Both starters, Cincinnati’s Nick Lodolo and Chicago’s Michael Soroka, exited with injuries.

Lodolo retired his first five batters before departing because of a blister on his left index finger.

The Cubs grabbed a 2-1 lead on Dansby Swanson’s two-run homer off Nick Martinez in the third. But they finished with just three hits.

Scott Barlow (5-0) pitched two innings for the win, and Emilio Pagán tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his 24th save.

Pitching on his 28th birthday, Soroka departed his Cubs debut after two innings because of right shoulder discomfort. He was acquired in a trade with Washington last week.

Ben Brown replaced Soroka and tossed four innings of one-run ball.

Key moment

Barlow walked Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki with two out in the sixth. But he escaped the jam by retiring Carson Kelly on a grounder back to the reliever.

Key stat

The Cubs had won three of four.

Up next

Zack Littell (8-8, 3.58 ERA) makes his Cincinnati debut on Tuesday night, and left-hander Shota Imanaga (8-4, 3.25 ERA) starts for Chicago. Littell was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay last week.