Reds rally in extras to edge Cubs, 5-4

CINCINNATI -- The Cincinnati Reds never quit Monday, not even when they trailed by two runs in the bottom of the 13th inning in a game that already lasted more than four hours.

After Luis Valbuena hit a two-run homer to give the Chicago Cubs the lead, the Reds rallied for three runs, capped off by Cesar Izturis' single that drove home Jay Bruce for a dramatic 5-4, 13-inning victory at Great American Ball Park.

"(Valbuena's) homer kind of took the wind out of our sails," said Bruce, who hit his first homer of the season in the seventh inning, then tied the game with a two-run double in the 113th. "But to not give up, and to come back and win it like this, says a lot about our team."

Valbuena's homer off Alfredo Simon (2-1) gave the Cubs a brief 4-2 lead, but Bruce's double to right-center off Michael Bowden (0-1) evened the score. Izturis lined his walk-off hit to left, just out of the reach of diving Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro.

"It was a long game, but it's good to get the 'W,'" Izturis said. "It was a fastball. I was just trying to get something up the middle."

A weary Cubs' manager Dale Sveum said, "It's just frustrating for those guys."

The bullpens kept the game scoreless from the eighth through the 12th inning.

Carlos Marmol, who'd not allowed a run in five appearances since being removed from the Cubs' closer's role, pitched two scoreless innings Monday night, and struck out Joey Votto with the winning run at third to end the 10th inning.

Chicago had the bases loaded with two outs in the 11th, but Castro lined to Bruce on a 3-2 pitch from J.J. Hoover.

Cubs' centerfielder David DeJesus led off the game with his third home run.

Reds leadoff batter Shin-Soo Choo reached base for the 19th straight appearance and was hit by a pitch for the 10th time in April, setting a new franchise record for a month.

The Cubs, who entered Monday's game ranked second in the majors with 17 errors, were solid defensively Monday night, highlighted by Castro's diving grab of Chris Heisey's line drive in the fifth inning.

Cubs' starter Travis Wood allowed just two hits through six innings against his former club. But things unraveled for Wood and the Cubs in the seventh.

Bruce launched an 0-1 pitch from Wood into the right-center field seats reducing Cincinnati's deficit to 2-1.

Heisey then legged out an infield single, advanced to second on a balk by Shawn Camp, and scored the tying run on Jack Hannahan's pinch-hit triple off James Russell. Neither team would score again until the 13th.

"It's hard to be down," said Wood. "It's not like we're getting blown out every game. We're right there. We've just got to figure out a way to pull them out."

Cincinnati starter Mike Leake needed 108 pitches to get through seven innings. He gave up two earned runs while allowing eight hits.

With the score tied 2-2, Reds' closer Aroldis Chapman pitched the ninth and struck out all three batters he faced.

Reds right-hander Jonathan Broxton left the game in the eighth inning after being struck on the right hand by a Nate Schierholtz line drive. X-rays were negative.

Cubs' batters struck out 10 times, giving Reds' pitchers at least 10 strikeouts in five straight games for the first time since 1900.

DeJesus' lead-off homer was his 13th career leadoff home run.

Leake retired the next six batters, with three of those outs coming on strikeouts.

Castro extended his hitting streak to 14 games with an RBI single in the third inning, putting the Cubs ahead 2-0.

"This team just keeps fighting back," said Reds' manager Dusty Baker. "I told them after (Valbuena's) homer that we hadn't lost the game yet. That's one of the best comebacks I've seen."

NOTES: Reds' left-handed pitcher Sean Marshall, who's been on the disabled list since April 10 with left shoulder tendinitis, made his first rehab start for Triple-A Louisville Monday night, throwing 12 pitches in a 1-2-3 first inning and striking out two. ... Cubs' right-hander Matt Garza plans to make a rehab start Wednesday for Double-A Tennessee. Garza is expected to throw 45 to 50 pitches. He missed all of Spring Training with a strained left lat muscle. ... Castro's 14-game hitting streak is the longest of his career and is the longest active streak in the majors.