Cubs fall at Cincinnati, third straight loss

Bronson Arroyo pitched seven solid innings to help the Cincinnati Reds to a 7-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs to start a four-game set at the Great American Ball Park. Arroyo (8-2) gave up one run on five hits and struck out three to pick up his third straight win for the Reds, who are on an eight-game winning streak. Brandon Phillips had a two-run home run and Ryan Freel went 3-for-5 with a solo homer and two RBI for Cincinnati, which last had an eight-game winning streak as part of a 10-game run from June 21-July 1, 1999. Glendon Rusch (2-6) was rocked for five runs on seven hits in 3 2/3 innings of work and Tony Womack had a solo home run for the Cubs, who have lost three straight and four of five. The Reds had a 2-1 lead going into the fourth and scored three runs in the inning to solidify their lead. With Scott Hatteberg on first and one out, Phillips hit a homer over the left-field wall and David Ross followed that with a solo shot to left to make it a 5-1 game. Cincinnati added two more runs in the bottom of the eighth. Ross plated Hatteberg with a sac fly and, after Javier Valentin drew a walk, Freel scored Phillips with a single to left to give his club a 7-1 lead. Arroyo shut down Chicago after giving up a first inning home run. He scattered four hits before leaving after the seventh inning. Kent Mercker pitched a perfect eighth and Esteban Yan followed with a perfect ninth to finish the game for Cincinnati. The Cubs got a run in the top of the first thanks to a solo homer by Womack. However, the Reds got the run back in the bottom of the first. Felipe Lopez punched a one-out single and raced all the way home after Rich Aurilia nailed a double to center to make it a 1-1 game. Cincinnati grabbed a 2-1 lead when Freel led off the bottom of the third with his fourth home run of the year. Game Notes Womack`s homer was his first since July 28, 2004. He was a member of St. Louis at the time...Rusch`s strike out of Lopez in the third was the 1,000th strikeout of his career...Freel has a nine-game hitting streak and Ross has an 11-game hitting streak...Arroyo is 3-3 in eight games (six starts) against the Cubs...Rusch falls to 1-6 lifetime in 20 games (11 starts) versus Cincinnati.