CHICAGO (AP) — John Lackey pitched into the seventh inning, Kris Bryant hit his first homer of the season and the Chicago Cubs matched the best eight-game start in franchise history with a 9-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night.
Miguel Montero had two of Chicago’s 10 walks and scored three times as the Cubs improved to 7-1 for the first time since 1985 and just the 11th time overall. Jason Heyward drove in two runs with a two-out single in the third and robbed Scott Schebler of a hit with a diving grab in right-center in the fourth.
Lackey (2-0) allowed two runs and six hits in 6 2/3 innings. He struck out seven and walked three, rebounding nicely from a shaky start at Arizona last Thursday.
Lackey also contributed at the plate, chasing Alfredo Simon (0-1) with a two-out RBI single in Chicago’s five-run first.
