CINCINNATI -- It was another big day for the bullpen Saturday, and in the latest sign that everything's coming up Reds, their relievers shut down a big threat while getting a great play behind them.
For the second straight game, Reds relievers pitched four scoreless innings. That included a game-saving double play turned by Joey Votto in the top of the seventh inning. In the bottom of the seventh, Eugenio Suárez's RBI single gave Cincinnati a 3-2 victory.
The Reds (42-40) have won three consecutive games and moved into second place for the first time since April 22, a half-game ahead of Chicago in the National League Central. The Brewers, winners of 11 in a row, remain eight games up.
“That was a big play by Joey," Suárez said. "Everybody knows that was a tough ground ball and he did a really good job. Obviously, we are happy. I was so excited when we finished that play and kept the game tied. We got an opportunity to win after that.”
Like Sonny Gray on Friday, Tyler Mahle gave the Reds a five-inning start. Where Gray was often dominant and removed because he was on a pitch count after just returning from the injured list, Mahle had to grind through his 102 pitches before he gave way to the bullpen. Regardless of the circumstances, there were four innings to cover.
Given a 2-2 game, Sean Doolittle provided a perfect sixth inning with two strikeouts. In the seventh, a botched toss to Doolittle at first base from Votto on Joc Pederson's grounder opened the door. Against rookie reliever Ryan Hendrix, Kris Bryant hit a single to bring up Javier Báez.
The Cubs had Cincinnati right where they wanted: Runners on the corners with no outs and the middle of the order up.
Hendrix first got a pop out to second base by Báez. Anthony Rizzo followed with a sharp grounder to first base. In a brilliant play, Votto jumped to snag it and threw to second base to start a 3-6-3 inning-ending double play. Reds fans among the 36,815 at Great American Ball Park roared with approval as Votto faced the first-base dugout and roared back with satisfaction.
"Really a tough play," Reds manager David Bell said. "To be able to get any sort of double play on that ball is tough, but once you jump for it, just a really athletic play. He works so hard on defense. It’s nice when you make a play like that really leads to a win."
Losers of eight straight games, the Cubs finished the day 0-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left nine on base. But that was their best chance to take the game late.
“We scratched and clawed to get in a really good situation," Cubs manager David Ross said. "To not be able to get that run across is kind of how things are going right now. We have to find a way to get that run in and we didn’t.”
Votto, who hit a leadoff home run in the fourth inning against Adbert Alzolay, drew a leadoff walk from the Cubs' starter in the bottom of the seventh. He went to third base on Tyler Stephenson's double to right field, and with one out, Suárez hit a soft RBI single into right field to score Votto with the go-ahead run.
"I was just focused on putting the ball in play," said Suárez, who is batting .176 this season during a tough year. "I got it a little bit off the end of the bat, but that was enough to get a hit and bring the RBI in and win the game."
Hendrix notched the first out in the eighth before Josh Osich recorded back-to-back strikeouts. Just like Friday, the ninth inning went to Heath Hembree. The reliever gave up a one-out single off his glove to Eric Sogard, but the righty escaped to record his third save.
For the first time in months, the Reds no longer have the highest bullpen ERA in baseball. At 5.29 after Saturday, they are ahead of the Rockies -- which entered the day with a 5.49 ERA.
In Cincinnati's last nine games, its bullpen has a 1.26 ERA. And they've done it all with their best relievers -- Tejay Antone and Lucas Sims -- on the injured list.
"Each one of them just did their job and did it really well. Every one of them," Bell said. "It’s been going on for a while; they’ve been doing a really good job and getting better. That was the big key to the game today."