CHICAGO (AP) -- Scooter Gennett's sacrifice fly drove in Joey Votto from third to break a scoreless tie in the eighth, and Billy Hamilton singled in a run in the ninth as the Cincinnati Reds edged the Chicago Cubs 2-1 on Tuesday night.
After Votto walked for the third time and advanced to third on Adam Duvall's single off reliever Pedro Strop (3-3), Gennett smacked a line drive to right that Jason Heyward caught on the run.
Cincinnati rookie Luis Castillo allowed only two hits over six innings as the Reds beat the Cubs for just the eighth time in the last 33 games. Chicago remained 1 games ahead of both St. Louis and Milwaukee in the NL Central.
Ben Zobrist singled in a run in the ninth off Raisel Iglesias to cut the Reds' lead to 2-1, but Iglesias worked around three hits in the ninth for his 21st save in 22 chances.
Both starters, Castillo and Kyle Hendricks, got no-decisions as they matched up in a crisp duel. Michael Lorenzen (7-2), pitched a scoreless seventh for the win in a game with just one extra-base hit --Reds pinch hitter Jose Peraza's ground-rule double in the ninth.
Votto was held hitless, but reached base at least twice for the 20th consecutive game. That extended his Reds club record, matched Barry Bonds for the longest streak since 2004 and is one game short of Ted Williams' major-league record set in 1948.
Castillo, one of three rookies in the Reds rotation, gave up just two singles while walking two and fanning seven. He was lifted for pinch hitter Patrick Kivlehan with two Reds runners on in the seventh.
Hendricks, making his fifth start since coming off the disabled list on July 24, allowed five hits while walking four and striking out six through six-plus innings.
Hendricks left with none out in the seventh after Eugenio Suarez walked and Jesse Winker lined his second single. Carl Edwards Jr. closed out the inning with three strikeouts to keep the Reds off the board.
Hendricks is 0-1 with four no-decisions since coming back from right hand tendinitis. His last win was on May 24 versus San Francisco.
The Cubs threatened in the seventh and eighth, but failed to score.
TRAINER'S ROOM
Reds: C Devin Mesoraco was placed on the 10-day DL with a broken bone in his left foot and will be out three to six weeks, according to manager Bryan Price. An All-Star in 2014, Mesoraco was hit by a pitch from Chicago Cubs starter Jose Quintana in the second inning of the Reds 15-5 loss at Wrigley Field on Monday. . The Reds recalled outfielder Phillip Ervin from Triple-A Louisville to fill the roster spot. ... Mesoraco's absence creates an additional complication: The wives of the two catchers on the Reds active roster, Tucker Barnhart and Stuart Turner, are both expecting babies in about 10 days.
Cubs: SS Addison Russell (strained right foot) doesn't think he'll be ready to play before the Cubs conclude their current homestand on Sunday. Russell said he is able to run and hit, but has issues when he tries to change direction. . 2B Ben Zobrist was scratched from the lineup for the second straight game with a stiff neck as a precaution, but pinch hit and walked in the eighth, and could return to the lineup on Wednesday.
UP NEXT
Reds RHP Homer Bailey (4-6, 8.31 ERA) takes the mound against Cubs righty John Lackey (10-9, 4.82) on Wednesday night in the third contest of the four-game series. Lackey is 5-0 with a 3.42 ERA in five starts since the All-Star break. Bailey, who opened the season on the DL after having bone spurs removed from his right elbow, will make his 11th start.
