Littell Sizzles, Steer Steers the Ship as Reds Roll Past Cubs Again

The Cincinnati Reds are picking the perfect time to heat up, and Zack Littell made a statement in his team debut Tuesday night by mowing down Cubs hitters with surgical precision. Littell struck out eight and allowed just three hits over seven innings in a dominant 5-1 win at Wrigley Field.

The Reds, now 60-54 and riding a two-game win streak, grabbed control late behind Spencer Steer, who broke a 1-1 tie with a three-run bomb in the seventh — his 13th homer of the season. It capped off a four-run frame that left Chicago stunned for the second straight night. Santiago Espinal added insurance with a sac fly, and Cincinnati’s bullpen once again kept the Cubbies caged.

Miguel Andujar, recently acquired at the trade deadline, recorded his first two hits as a Red and scored twice, while T.J. Friedl also notched two knocks from the top of the order. The Reds were efficient, going 3-for-5 with runners in scoring position, while Chicago went 0-for-6 in clutch moments.

The Cubs have now dropped three of their last four and trail the NL Central-leading Brewers by four games. Cincinnati will look for the sweep on Wednesday when All-Star Andrew Abbott takes the mound against Cubs rookie Cade Horton.