Chicago Cubs vs Cincinnati Reds Box Score on Jul 02, 2017

The Sports Xchange
Jul 2, 2017

CINCINNATI -- Ian Happ homered twice, Anthony Rizzo added a solo shot and Jake Arrieta allowed one hit in seven innings to help the Chicago Cubs avoid a sweep with a 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday.

While starring at the University of Cincinnati, Happ attended several games at Great American Ball Park as a fan and played there once against the University of Louisville in 2013. On Sunday, he went 3-for-4 with two homers and tied a career high with four RBIs.

The victory helped Chicago (41-41) avoid its first three-game sweep in Cincinnati since 1996. The Cubs have beaten the Reds in 24 of the past 31 meetings.

Cubs second baseman Javier Baez, who entered Sunday's game 1-for-16, went 3-for-4 with two doubles and an RBI.

Joey Votto's two-out single in the first inning was the only hit allowed by Arrieta (8-6), who had two walks and six strikeouts in 100 pitches.

Votto's two-run single in the eighth, his 1,499th career hit, off Koji Uehara, made the score 6-2 and raised his average to a season-high .317.

In the second, Happ launched a 2-2 pitch from Reds starter Tim Adleman to deep center, putting the Cubs ahead 2-0.

In the fourth inning, Happ clubbed his 12th homer for his second-career multi-home run game. He's only the third Cubs player in the past 100 seasons to have at least 11 homers in his first 45 games.

Adleman (5-5) allowed three earned runs, six hits and two homers in five innings.

Happ added a broken-bat single off Blake Wood to drive in a run in the sixth to make the score 4-0. It was the third time this season he has had four RBIs in a game.

Arrieta, pitching in the same ballpark where he hurled a no-hitter on April 21, 2016, looked unhittable at times during his seven innings. He retired 10 straight during one stretch, with five via strikeout, including three straight Ks in the fourth.

Rizzo's towering solo home run in the seventh off Austin Brice made the score 5-0. Rizzo's 19th homer of the season landed on the roof of the home bullpen in right field.

NOTES: The Reds haven't swept the Cubs in Cincinnati since Sept. 24-26, 1996, at Cinergy Field. ... Reds RHP Asher Wojciechowski's contract was selected from Triple-A Louisville to give them an extra bullpen arm for a seven-game road trip to Colorado and Arizona. RHP Jackson Stephens, who posted his first major league victory on Saturday, was optioned to Triple-A. LHP Brandon Finnegan was moved to the 60-day disabled list. ... Cubs RF Ben Zobrist made his first start since coming off the disabled list and went 0-for-4.