Press Clippings July 3, 2017 THIS DAY IN REDS HISTORY 1975-Giants rookie , John Montefusco, predicts he will shut out the Reds and strike out four times. He gives up seven runs in 1.2 innings, three of them on a Bench . The Reds go on to win, 11-6 MLB.COM Cozart to start, Votto also gets All-Star nod By Jeremy Vernon / MLB.com | July 2nd, 2017 + 24 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- finally earned his donkey from on Sunday. The only question that remains is whether or not they choose to ride the burro together to Miami next week.

Both Cozart and Votto are heading to South Beach for the 2017 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. The former will also start, after earning the most votes among shortstops in the Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot.

"I didn't think that I would be nervous to find out if I'm starting or not," Cozart said. "I was hoping that I would make the team, but all of a sudden I was thinking, 'Man, I really want to start the game.' I'm just honored, man. It's a cool thing that you get recognized for the play you've had on the field."

Cozart entered 2017 having missed significant time in each of the previous two seasons and batting .246 for his career, but he has blown that number out of the water so far this season. The first-time All-Star currently leads all Major League shortstops in batting average (.322) and OPS (.958), and he's on pace to post new career highs in runs, hits, home runs, RBIs, and on-base and .

"He's been through a lot," Reds said. "His name has been out there as far as a trade candidate or free agency and all this other stuff, and he's handled it extremely well and just really focused, as he said, he's just here to play . He's doing a heck of a job of that."

This is Votto's fifth All-Star selection, but first since 2013. The Reds has had his share of misfortune as well over recent years, as he missed a large chunk of the 2014 season with a knee injury and was left off the last two All-Star rosters despite strong first-half performances.

But 2017 has seen Votto return to a level of play reminiscent of his NL MVP season in 2010. Through 81 games in 2017, his slash line stands at .317/.429/.621 with 23 homers and 59 RBIs.

"I missed representing Cincinnati, and I missed the opportunities in the past," Votto said of the All-Star Game. "But I'm very, very excited to be a part of this one. It's a really good feeling."

Votto was also asked to participate in the 2017 T-Mobile Home Run Derby, but he passed on the offer.

" It's a challenging event. It's something that I'd rather save for the field and during the games."

The past month has been full of donkey-related chicanery, from a dozen burro-themed clubhouse T-shirts, to Votto crashing an Intentional Talk interview in a full donkey suit, to Cozart's wife, Chelsea, joining the fun with some social media campaigning.

Now it's time for Votto to hold up his part of the deal.

"I'm going to have to give [the donkey guy] a ring," he joked. "He doesn't have a phone. He only uses a pager. He's kind of in that black-market business. He'll see it's time to bring that donkey to Cincinnati."

Cozart seemed ready for his new pet.

"I got asked about it a lot earlier when I was out [on the field] taking some pictures," he said. "People were giving me suggestions for names and everything. I guess I might have to look for some land somewhere."

Fans can cast ballots for the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote on MLB.com, Club sites and their mobile devices until 4 p.m. ET on Thursday. The winners, as chosen exclusively by online fan voting totals, will then be announced during "MLB Tonight" live on MLB Network and MLB.com at 6 p.m. Extensive coverage throughout the Final Vote will be provided by MLB Network and MLB.com, including interviews with the candidates, frequent updates, heat maps indicating where votes are being cast for each candidate, news on player and club campaigns, and a running countdown clock leading up to the announcement.

Now in its 16th season, with more than 680 million votes cast, the Final Vote again will include social votes on the last day of balloting, as Twitter support for the 10 candidates over the final six hours of balloting will count toward their vote totals. From 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ET on Thursday, any tweet that includes a designated player hashtag will be tabulated as part of the official vote total used to determine the winners.

On Tuesday, July 11, at 7:30 p.m. ET, tune in to the 2017 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2017 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote. The 88th All-Star Game, in Miami, will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB.com, MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Jeremy Vernon is a reporter for MLB.com based in Cincinnati, and covered the Reds Sunday. This story was not subject to the approval of or its clubs.

Late rally not enough as Reds fall to Cubs By Carrie Muskat and Jeremy Vernon / MLB.com | July 2nd, 2017 + 232 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- Ian Happ showed up in a big way, as the University of Cincinnati product a pair of home runs and added an RBI single to back Jake Arrieta and lead the Cubs in a 6-2 victory.

Happ smacked a two-run homer in the second and added a solo shot in the fourth, both off , for his second career multi-homer game. The rookie finished with four RBIs, tying his career high, which he's now accomplished three times.

"He came home, his home away from home via Pittsburgh," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Happ. "Both balls were really well struck."

Arrieta benefitted from an Anthony Rizzo solo home run with two outs in the seventh, his 19th. The right-hander has had success in Cincinnati, throwing his second no-hitter at in April 2016. On Sunday, he gave up a single to Joey Votto with two outs in the first, and that was it over seven innings. The right-hander struck out six and walked two. Votto's two-run single in the eighth off Koji Uehara accounted for the Reds' only runs.

Adleman, who served up three homers in his last start against the Brewers, and gave up eight over 28 innings in five June starts, exited after five innings.

"I felt pretty good about pitch execution, a lot better than I have been the last few starts," Adleman said. "It was just those two to Happ, really, and maybe one to [Javier] Baez where he hit the . But when a guy is really tough on your lineup, especially a good lineup like ours, it makes it tough. It makes those mistakes that you make even a bigger deal than they are."

"I mean that was seven innings of one-hit ball, didn't get in trouble with a lot of bad counts or walks, didn't give us much," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "We only squared a couple, maybe two balls that we actually put on the barrel. So it's a testament to how good he was today. And we got something going a little bit against the bullpen, but too little, too late, they've extended the lead to 6- 0. So we fell short."

Maddon said Arrieta's at-bats against Votto were key.

"Jake was outstanding," Maddon said. "That was as good as we've seen Jake in a bit. You just go off Votto's at-bats. He did not have good at-bats today. That was my litmus test with him."

"You put together a list of your best five hitters in baseball and he's at the top," Arrieta said of Votto. "He puts together a good at- bat regardless of the scenario. He makes it tough on you. You've got to mix it up. You can't be predictable because a guy like that will do some damage."

The Reds were looking for their first three-game sweep of the Cubs in Cincinnati since September 1996. With the win, the Cubs ended a 20-game stretch in which they played 17 games on the road.

"Before we left [on the trip] with an inexperienced group, to say we're going to [go .500] -- two thumbs up," Maddon said. "Our hitting has been fluctuating, starting pitching has been fluctuating. That's why we're .500. I'll take it, I'm proud of our guys and the way they've fought."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED It's Happening: With one out in the second, Willson Contreras walked and Happ followed with his 11th home run, which went 412 feet and bounced off the grassy berm in center field at Great American Ball Park. Happ made it 3-0 with a solo shot with two outs in the fourth, launching a 2-2 pitch from Adleman 409 feet to right. The rookie led the team in June with eight homers, and is now tied with Kyle Schwarber for third on the Cubs with 12. Happ's other multi-homer game was June 4 against the Cardinals.

"We have to continually look at how to get him in there," Maddon said of Happ. "He gives our lineup a different look, no question."

Double review: There were two challenges on one play in the Chicago eighth. Contreras reached safely on an error to open the inning, and Happ was called out at first on a grounder to third base. The Cubs challenged that call. Contreras ran to third on Happ's grounder, and was called safe, and the Reds challenged that ruling. After a review, both Cubs runners were called out. The call regarding Happ was confirmed, the call at third was overturned as the review showed that Contreras failed to keep his hand on the bag.

QUOTABLE

"It's big for us if we even want to talk about baseball as far as, I hate to even say, other than if we really want to enjoy the baseball in August and September. And the guys will, but you're going to enjoy it a lot more when there's a lot more on the line, the games are important, not for just the other teams you're playing, but for your own club." -- Price, on his team taking four of six games during the homestand

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Happ is the fourth Cubs player in the last 100 years with two multi-homer games in their first 45 career games, joining Kyle Schwarber, Jorge Soler and Mandy Brooks.

Votto's two-run single in the Reds' eighth was his 1,499th career hit, tying him with for 10th all time in franchise history.

UNDER REVIEW

With one out in the Cubs' fifth, singled, and tried to steal second as Anthony Rizzo struck out. Bryant was called safe but the Reds challenged the ruling, saying shortstop Zack Cozart had made the tag when Bryant popped up. After a review the call was overturned. Credit the Reds with a double play.

With one out and a runner at first in the Reds' fifth, home-plate umpire John Tumpane said was hit by a pitch. The Cubs challenged the call, saying the ball hit the end of the bat and not the . After a review, the call was overturned. Mesoraco then hit into a fielder's choice.

WHAT'S NEXT

Cubs: After an off-day Monday, John Lackey will start Tuesday in an Interleague series against the Rays. Lackey is coming off a loss to the Nationals in which he gave up eight earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. He's had success against the Rays, posting a 13-8 record in 24 starts. He hasn't faced Tampa Bay since 2014. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT.

Reds: Rookie Luis Castillo will get the start against the Rockies in Monday's 8:10 p.m. ET game as the Reds kick off a seven-game road trip before the All-Star break. Castillo didn't earn a decision in each of his first two starts, but has pitched well while posting a 3.38 ERA over 10 2/3 innings.

Carrie Muskat has covered the Cubs since 1987, and for MLB.com since 2001. She writes a blog, Muskat Ramblings. You can follow her on Twitter @CarrieMuskat and listen to her podcast. Jeremy Vernon is a reporter for MLB.com based in Cincinnati, and covered the Reds Sunday. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Reds recall Wojciechowski from Triple-A Stephens sent down, Finnegan transferred to 60-day disabled list By Jeremy Vernon / MLB.com | July 2nd, 2017 + 7 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- Reds manager Bryan Price said Friday that his team would look to bring in additional bullpen help ahead of their upcoming road trip. He made good on that promise Sunday, as Cincinnati announced it would call up from Triple-A Louisville, option Jackson Stephens to the Minors and transfer to the 60-day disabled list.

This will be Wojciechowski's second stint with the Reds this season. He made two appearances out of the bullpen, including his team debut when he threw 3 2/3 one-hit innings against the Rockies on May 20. He also made four starts, posting an 0-1 record and a 7.79 ERA in those games.

Stephens, who was brought up to fill in for Finnegan in the rotation, made his Major League debut Saturday, allowing three runs over five innings, driving in a pair of runs and picking up his first big league win. Price said they were going to make this move regardless of his performance, but also said he anticipates Stephens will be back with the team soon.

"You can always make this more than it is," Price said. "I mean it's a huge moment in your life, but if you make it too big of a moment, it's real easy to crash and burn in these situations. And he didn't, he held his own and I would anticipate that he's going to see some more opportunities in the second half if he continues to throw that way in Louisville."

Finnegan returned to the rotation on June 26, but exited his first start early after re-injuring his shoulder. He was placed on the 10- day DL on June 28.

• Starter Anthony DeSclafani is feeling good after throwing a 25-pitch bullpen session on the side on Friday. DeSclafani has been on the DL all season while dealing with a sprained ulnar collateral ligament in his right elbow. He is expected to return sometime in August.

In 20 starts in 2016, DeSclafani posted a 9-5 record with a 3.38 ERA. He is 18-18 in two seasons with the Reds.

Jeremy Vernon is is a reporter for MLB.com based in Cincinnati. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Reds acquire Red Sox prospect Longhi By Jeremy Vernon / MLB.com | July 2nd, 2017 + 17 COMMENTS

CINCINNATI -- The Reds acquired /first baseman Nick Longhi from the Red Sox in exchange for international amateur signing bonus pool space, Reds general manager announced Sunday morning.

Longhi -- Boston's No. 9 prospect according to MLBPipeline.com -- was selected by the Red Sox in the 30th round of the 2013 Draft out of Venice High School in Florida. As a member of Double-A Portland in 2017, Longhi was batting .262 with six home runs, 15 doubles and 33 RBIs in 62 games.

Overall, Longhi has played in 347 games in the Minor Leagues, batting .278 with an OPS of .738. With Salem in 2016, he was among the top-10 players in the Carolina League in hitting (.282), RBIs (77) and doubles (40).

Jeremy Vernon is is a reporter for MLB.com based in Cincinnati. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Castillo aims to build on early success vs. Rox By Jeremy Vernon / MLB.com | July 2nd, 2017 + 2 COMMENTS

The Rockies led the by half a game on June 20. But less than two weeks later, they sit in third place behind the D-backs and the surging Dodgers.

Colorado hopes it can stop the bleeding against a Cincinnati team that has bounced back somewhat after hitting a rough stretch of its own. Before the team's most recent homestand, the Reds lost 14 of 16 games, six times losing by five runs or more.

On the mound Monday for the Rockies will be , who -- minus one start this season -- has been very effective. In his first five starts, the right-hander was 4-0 with a 2.09 ERA, but on June 21 he was roughed up by the D-backs, allowing nine runs over 3 2/3 innings.

Hoffman rebounded with a quality start against the Giants on Tuesday, and the Rockies hope he can earn another against the Reds.

Opposite Hoffman will be rookie Luis Castillo, who has impressed in his first two Major League starts. He currently has a 3.38 ERA over 10 2/3 innings. In his last start, he tossed 5 2/3 innings of two-run ball in a 4-3 Reds win over the Brewers on Wednesday.

Things to know about this game:

• The Reds called up pitcher Asher Wojciechowski on Sunday to add some bullpen depth heading into their road trip. Wojciechowski has started four games and made two relief appearances this season, including his team debut on May 20, when he allowed one hit over 3 2/3 innings against the Rockies.

• Entering Sunday's games, Rockies batters were batting .206 over their last 10 games. Charlie Blackmon and Ian Desmond are a combined 18-for-79 (.228) with two home runs and four RBIs during that span.

Jeremy Vernon is is a reporter for MLB.com based in Cincinnati. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs. CINCINNATI ENQUIRER BAR: He's not an All-Star, but Adam Duvall's better this year than last C. Trent Rosecrans , [email protected] Published 8:47 a.m. ET July 3, 2017 | Updated 8:47 a.m. ET July 3, 2017

The Blog Above Replacement a daily look at the Reds, their minor leagues and whatever else is on the mind of Enquirer Reds beat writers, C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan. You can follow them on Twitter (@ctrent and @ZachENQ), Facebook (C. Trent Rosecrans and Zach Buchanan) and Instagram (ENQReds).

I don’t believe that there’s such a thing as an All-Star “snub.”

There are players deserving who don’t make the team, but it’s not a snub, it’s that it’s difficult to make the team and some people just miss the cut. It’s like the furor over the teams that don’t make the NCAA Tournament — they weren’t going to win anyway, do better and there’s no question you’ll make it. Really, all you miss out on is the participation trophy.

That said, there are plenty of good players who don’t make the roster, including a pair of Reds, left fielder Adam Duvall and reliever Raisel Iglesias.

Duvall was an All-Star last year and he’s been better this year.

A year ago, he was selected as the Reds’ lone representative ( was added later), earning the spot because someone had to make it from the Reds. On selection day, Duvall was hitting .252/.290/.559 with 22 home runs and 59 RBI.

This year he’s hitting .284/.330/.565 with 19 home runs and 58 RBI.

Asked recently if he was doing anything differently this season, Duvall said he wasn’t.

“There's nothing different, it's tough to say what it really is, sometimes hits fall, sometimes they don’t,” he said after Friday night’s game. “I feel like I'm taking some really good at-bats, working some walks in there and just driving the ball right now. Hopefully, we can continue that.”

While it sounds cliche, Duvall’s right. Looking at his numbers, there’s nothing too different — he’s walking at the same rate, he’s striking out at the same rate. His soft contact rate is a little better, but his hard contact rate is a little worse. The one difference is his batting average on balls in play — this year it’s at .322, last year on All-Star selection day it was .272 and he finished the season at .275. BABIP is pretty much the rate at which “sometimes hits fall, sometimes they don’t.”

• The Reds made a trade yesterday, sending international cap space to Boston for Red Sox 1B/OF prospect Nick Longhi. Basically, the Reds had more money available than they could spend because of the penalties for going over the limit this past international signing period. The Reds sent $2.75 million to Boston for Longhi.

The Cardinals were in a similar position and made smaller trades. Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch wrote a good explainer here.

Longhi, 21, is a right-handed batter but left-handed thrower. He’s hitting .262/.306/.401 with six home runs and 33 RBI at Double- A Portland. MLBPipeline.com has him ranked No. 9 among Red Sox prospects. Longhi will be Rule 5 eligible after this season.

• Programming note: The BAR will be closed Tuesday for Independence Day. Zach will still have everything you need from Colorado, but I’m taking the day off to spend with my family. (Also, next week we’ll be taking our own All-Star break from the BAR. I’ll be in Miami, so you will still get content on Cincinnati.com, Twitter, Instagram and Facebook, but just no BAR.)

• #HeyBartender: Friday is mailbag day, and I’ll be handling it this week. Feel free to email me, Tweet at me with #HeyBARtender or send a message on Facebook your questions, Reds or otherwise.

ICYMI

• Joey Votto and Zack Cozart are headed to Miami.

As a side note, Cozart’s gotten more donkey t-shirts than you can shake a stick at — including one that has a picture of a donkey that said, “I’m taking my talents (and my bat and glove) to South Beach.”

• Former Bearcat Ian Happ kept the Cubs from being swept at GABP this weekend.

• Raisel Iglesias has hit 101 out of the bullpen.

• The new episode of Great American Dream is live.

MINOR LEAGUE ROUNDUP

Triple-A: Louisville 1, Indianapolis 0: What a start for Lisalverto Bonilla, who allowed just two hits in seven shutout innings. He struck out six and walked one. RHP Jimmy Herget picked up the two-inning save. SS singled in the lone run of the game.

Double-A: Pensacola 3, Montgomery 2: RHP Austin Ross gave up two runs on five hits with three walks and no in seven innings. His ERA jumped to 1.36 on the season, but he still improved to 7-0. RF was 2 for 4 with a double. 1B Gavin LaValley had a RBI double.

High-A: Dunedin 4, Daytona 2: RHP Vladimir Gutierrez gave up four runs on six hits with three walks and six strikeouts in seven innings. 3B Luis Gonzalez was 3 for 4 with a RBI.

Low-A: Dayton 5, Fort Wayne 4: 1B Kevin Franklin had two hits, including his first homer of the season. RF Jose Siri knocked in two.

Rookie: Billings 4, Great Falls 2: The Mustangs recorded eight hits by eight different players, including a homer by LF Andy Sugillio, his third of the season.

Donkey up, Joe: Cozart selected as All-Star starter, Votto as reserve Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 7:46 p.m. ET July 2, 2017 | Updated 9:11 p.m. ET July 2, 2017

They’ll have a lot of time to talk about donkeys in Miami.

Before the 2017 season, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto promised a donkey to Zack Cozart if the shortstop could make the All-Star team. On Sunday, the pair was selected to represent the Reds on the National League All-Star Team, Cozart as the starter at shortstop and Votto as a reserve. The game will be played July 11 in Miami.

Now it’s time to pony (or donkey) up, and Votto said he’s already been in touch with his dealer.

“He doesn’t have a phone. He only uses a pager,” Votto said. “He’s kind of in that black market business. He’ll see it’s time to bring that donkey to Cincinnati.”

The All-Star selection is Cozart’s first. The 31-year-old has been enjoying a breakout season, and entered Sunday hitting .323/.405/.561 in 259 plate appearances. His success was so widely recognizable that Cozart jumped to a lead of almost 300,000 votes on shortstop , who plays in a bigger market and was an MVP candidate last season.

As the voting deadline approached, that lead dwindled. Cozart hit a slump, and then landed on the disabled last. A week ago, he had a lead of about 250,000 votes. Heading into the final day of voting Thursday, it had narrowed to just more than 100,000.

In the end, he won by just 86,117 votes. Cozart couldn’t help but feel the suspense.

“I didn’t think that I would be nervous to find out if I’m starting or not,” Cozart said. “I was hoping that I would make the team, but all of a sudden I was thinking, ‘Man, I really want to start the game.’ I’m just honored.”

Votto feels similarly humbled. He made the All-Star Game four straight years from 2010-13, but missed out the next three seasons. He was hurt in 2014, and started poorly each of the next two campaigns.

This year, he was selected as a reserve by the commissioner’s office – filling out the teams after fan and player voting was taken away from the All-Star managers this season – and he realized he’d been taking it for granted.

“Without sounding too self-involved, I missed it,” Votto said. “I missed being a part of that.”

Votto’s numbers cast him as undeniably worthy of inclusion. He’s having arguably the best season of his career, hitting .315/.428/.622 through Saturday and leading the majors in walks (56) and OPS (1.051). He has also smacked 23 home runs and is on a pace to shatter his previous career best of 37.

But the crop of first basemen in the NL was very deep this year. first baseman Ryan Zimmerman claimed the fan vote, and first baseman Paul Goldschmidt has similar numbers and is lauded by Votto as one of the best players in baseball. There were also the seasons of , Eric Thames, Anthony Rizzo and Mark Reynolds to consider.

(Bellinger and Goldschmidt were also selected as reserves.)

“I’m glad that didn’t fly over the top of the commissioner’s office,” Reds manager Bryan Price said.

Cozart and Votto were the two Reds players with the most obvious All-Star credentials, although other players with an argument to make the team were left off. Left fielder Adam Duvall, an All-Star a year ago, began Sunday hitting .287 with a .902 OPS and 19 home runs. Closer Raisel Iglesias owns a 1.59 ERA and .156 average against in 39 2/3 innings. Either potentially could be called upon as an injury replacement.

Duvall also participated in the Home Run Derby a year ago, and the field for that has not been announced. One player who won’t be participating is Votto, although he’d been asked. The 33-year-old cited concerns getting injured, and said he’d like to save his homers for the regular season.

Plus, he has a donkey to procure.

Reds had no answer for Ian Happ Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 4:33 p.m. ET July 2, 2017 | Updated 5:15 p.m. ET July 2, 2017

The Cincinnati Reds fell short of a series sweep, falling 6-2 to the on Sunday at Great American Ball Park. Here are the main storylines.

Ian Happ was a terror. Happ was selected No. 9 overall by the Cubs out of the University of Cincinnati back in 2015, and has sprinted to the majors. Starting in center Sunday, he proved to be the bane of Reds ’ existence.

In the second, Happ smacked a two-run homer off Reds right-hander Tim Adleman to straight-away center, giving the Cubs a 2-0 lead. Two innings later, he dropped a solo homer just over the fence in right to make it 3-0. They were his 11th and 12th homers of the year.

“Other than him, it was manageable today,” Adleman said. “But he got me.”

He wasn’t even done. Against reliever Blake Wood in the sixth, he added a broken-bat single to left with two on and no outs, driving in a run and pushing the Chicago lead to four. The four RBIs tied a career best for the 22-year-old.

Jake Arrieta kept the Reds offense in check. Arrieta has been mired in a mediocre season, but against the Reds he certainly looked like the Cy Young Award-caliber pitcher he was in 2015. The Reds managed just one hit off the Cubs right-hander, striking out six times.

Cincinnati’s best scoring opportunity came in the first. Joey Votto singled with two out and Adam Duvall followed with a walk. But grounded out to first to end the inning. The Reds didn’t get another runner on second base while Arrieta was on the mound.

Between Duvall’s walk and an Eugenio Suarez walk to start the fifth, Arrieta retired 10 consecutive batters, six of them on strikeouts. That Suarez walk didn’t produce much of a threat, either, as Arrieta mowed through the next nine batters, getting eight of them to ground out.

Arrieta was replaced for the eighth.

“We only squared a couple, maybe two balls that we actually put on the barrel,” manager Bryan Price said. “So it's a testament how he good he was today.”

There was a double challenge, and the Reds won it. Challenges were issued from both dugouts during a play in the eighth, with Price and Cubs manager Joe Maddon each challenging different aspects of the play.

With Willson Contreras at first, Happ had grounded out to third, and Suarez’s throw to first beat him just barely. As Suarez made the throw, Contreras made the turn at second and headed for third. Suarez retreated to the bag and Votto delivered a throw, but Russell seemingly swam past the tag to get a finger on the base.

Price asked for a review on the play at third, while Maddon wanted a review of the play at first. Both went Cincinnati’s way. The play at first was confirmed, while the play at third was overturned.

It didn’t do much to reverse the Reds’ fortunes, however. Addison Russell and Javier Baez followed with hits on consecutive pitches, allowing Russell to score and give the Cubs a 6-0 lead.

The Reds mounted a brief comeback. Cincinnati had collected just one hit entering the eighth, but got a rally going against the Cubs bullpen. Scooter Gennett led off with a walk and slapped a one-out single, leading Maddon to replace Justin Grimm with Koji Uehara. Uehara then gave up a two-out single to Zack Cozart to load the bases, and Votto followed with a two-run single to right to make it a 6-2 game.

Maddon then made his second pitching change of the inning, bringing in right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. The righty got behind Duvall 1-0, but then got Duvall to whiff on three consecutive pitches to end the inning.

“Too little, too late,” Price said.

Iglesias now topping 100 mph out of the bullpen Zach Buchanan , [email protected] Published 2:02 p.m. ET July 2, 2017 | Updated 2:15 p.m. ET July 2, 2017

When moving from a starter to a relief role, many pitchers experience spikes in pitch velocity. Few pitchers keep adding velocity like Cincinnati Reds right-hander Raisel Iglesais.

In April, Iglesias averaged 96.4 mph on his four-seam fastball, according to BrooksBaseball.net. In June, it had jumped to 97.2. In his first outing of July, on Saturday against the Chicago Cubs, his fastball averaged 98.7 mph.

Comparisons from one year to another are difficult, since Major League Baseball changed its tracking system at the beginning of this season. But Iglesias’ velocity has undeniably been rising as the 2017 season has progressed. In June, he threw the hardest recorded pitch of his career, topping out at 101.1 mph.

“I didn’t come into the season thinking he was going to be a 100-mile-an-hour pitcher,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “I thought (Michael) Lorenzen would be more apt to be that guy who would be touching 100 on a good day. It’s a phenomenon.”

Lorenzen has always been a hard-thrower, but the added velocity for Iglesias is even more interesting given his injury history. The Reds put the 27-year-old in the bullpen last year after shoulder injuries troubled him.

But Iglesias said he now feels stronger than ever. He expected his velocity to rise in a relief role, too, but is just as surprised to be hitting triple digits as anyone.

“I know the velocity was going to be up,” Iglesias said through translator Julio Morillo. “When I touched 100 and 101, I was surprised myself.”

Stephens sent down

After a strong major-league debut Saturday, rookie right-hander Jackson Stephens was optioned to Triple-A on Sunday. The move was not unexpected, as the Reds have expressed a desire to carry an eighth reliever for their upcoming road series against the .

That long reliever is righty Asher Wojciechowski, whom the team designated for assignment last month. Wojciechowski cleared waivers and returned to Triple-A, and now has been added back to the 40-man roster. Left-hander Brandon Finnegan, out with a teres major strain, was transferred to the 60-day disabled list to make room.

Price said the Reds have an idea of who will start the next time Stephens’ turn comes up in the rotation, but won’t announce it yet. He did say that Stephens, who must spend 10 days in the minors before he can be recalled, will be a candidate to fill out the rotation after the All-Star Break.

“He certainly didn’t hurt his chances with his performance yesterday,” Price said. WCPO - Channel 9 Fay: Pete says Bench, Morgan, Perez are the best ever. But do the stats support him? The Big Four anchored the John Fay | WCPO contributor 7:00 AM, Jul 3, 2017

CINCINNATI -- When had his statue dedicated a few weeks back, he took the podium three times -- once for the unveiling, once for the press conference and once for the on-field ceremony.

One point he made each time: The statues of the Big Four from the Big Red Machine included the best catcher of all time in Johnny Bench, the best second baseman of all time in and the best Cuban player of all time in Tony Perez.

The fourth likeness, that of Rose, represents the all-time hits leader. Rose's 4,256 hits are an undisputed fact. But you won't get any argument around Cincinnati on his contention about Bench, Morgan and Perez.

But do the numbers and the awards support what Rose said?

Let's take a look:

JOHNNY BENCH

Rose went the furthest with Bench.

"He's not only the greatest catcher who ever lived," Rose said. "He's the greatest catcher who ever will live."

That's high praise.

Bench was the first catcher to make the Hall of Fame on the first ballot. Pudge Rodriguez became the second last year. Bench's vote total was 96 percent compared to 80 percent for Rodriguez.

Bench won two MVPs, a Rookie of the Year and a MVP. He made 13 All-Star teams and won 10 Gold Gloves. He retired with 327 home runs as a catcher -- the most at the time.

One stat reflects how good he was at controlling the running game: In four World Series and five National League Championship Series, 15 base-runners would try to steal against Bench. He threw out 13 of them.

As good as Bench turned out to be, you can still wonder how good he might have been.

In 1970, he hit .293 with a league-leading 45 home runs and a league-leading 148 RBI. He won his first MVP.

In '72, he repeated as MVP, hitting .270 with a league-leading 40 home runs and 125 RBI. He hit the biggest home run of his career in the NL Championship Series against the .

In the winter of '72, Bench had major surgery to remove a benign growth on his left lung. He never again hit 40 home runs, but he was still a productive run-producer. And he still tops the Reds all-time list in home runs (389) and RBI (1,376).

So Rose wasn't just talking.

As for being the "best to ever live," we'll see. It's worth noting that Joey Votto and caught in high school, but they were immediately moved to first base and the outfield in the pros. Hitters like Bench are so valuable that most teams move them to other positions.

JOE MORGAN

Without Morgan, the Big Red Machine would likely be a baseball footnote, not a legend. The Reds lost World Series in both 1970 and '72.

The trade that brought Morgan, and Cesar Geronimo to the Reds from the is widely credited with getting the BRM over the top.

The Reds won back-to-back World Series in 1975 and '76. Morgan was NL MVP both years. He was a perfect fit for the lineup. He led the NL both years in on-base percentage at .466 and .444.

That set up the big bats behind him.

Morgan was definitely the finest second baseman after the game was integrated. But players from the early era -- (127.0), Eddie Collins (123.9) and Nap Lajoie (107.4) -- have higher WARs (Win Above Replacement) than Morgan's 100.3.

Hornsby, a .353 career hitter and two-time MVP, played 600 games at positions other than second.

The last three second basemen to get in -- Ryne Sandberg (67.5 WAR), Roberto Alomar (66.8) and Craig Biggio (65.1) -- aren't in Morgan's class.

So, at least among players Rose saw, Morgan was the best.

TONY PEREZ

Perez is the only Cuban player in the Hall of Fame. That kind of ends the argument before it starts.

The only Cuban you could argue that's better than Perez is . Tiant went 229-172 with a 3.30 ERA in his career. His WAR is higher than Perez's, 66.7 to 53.9.

Tiant won 20 games four times and lost 20 once. His best year was 1968, when he went 21-9 with a league-leading 1.60 ERA for Cleveland.

Perez and Tiant crossed paths in the . Tiant won Game 1 for Boston, shutting out the Reds 6-0, and Game 4. Perez hit .179 in the series, but he had three home runs and seven RBI. One of the home runs was a two-run shot in Game 7 on a Bill Lee Eephus pitch. It cut the Boston lead to 3-2 and shifted the momentum to the Reds.

Perez made the Hall of Fame in 2000 on his 14th try, getting 77.2 percent of the vote.

Perez hit .279 with 379 home runs and 1,652 RBI in his career. You also have to factor in that he played an integral part in the Big Red Machine.

Rose got this one right as well.

Fay: Cozart donkey story is cute, but don't let it take away from his accomplishments Cozart to start as shortstop in All-Star game John Fay 7:54 PM, Jul 2, 2017 4 hours ago

CINCINNATI — Zack Cozart’s selection to the All-Star Team is going to play nationally as the Donkey Story. You’ve heard it: Joey Votto promised to buy Cozart a donkey if Cozart made the All-Star Team.

That will happen. It’s a cute story, but it overshadows the real Cozart story. His selection is evidence that hard work pays off. It's evidence that even good players can get a lot better, and it's evidence that medical science has come a long way.

It’s also evidence that the fans are paying attention.

Cozart plays in the small market, and when the season started not a lot of people would have put him at the top of the National League shortstop list. But Cozart beat out Corey Seager of the Dodgers, who plays in a mega-market.

“I am pretty surprised that I’m starting,” he said. “That’s just as good as it gets, I think. Making the team is always an individual goal that you go into the season with. I don’t have a lot of individual goals, but that’s obviously one of them that’s up there.

"Obviously starting is that much better because the fans vote you in and they recognize what you’ve done out there. It means a lot. I know Cincinnati was voting hard and I had to have some help outside of Cincy, and that happened.”

Cozart figured something out this spring: it’s all about the way he leaves the bat on his shoulder and relaxes at the plate.

He came in into the season a .246 hitter. This year, he’s hitting .323 with power — nine home runs, 16 doubles, five triples and 33 RBI.

The difference?

“I think it’s my setup,” Cozart said. “In the past if I was struggling, it was always because I was worried about my hands. Then all of the sudden, I’m not focused on the pitch. When I moved my hands down a week into , it just felt comfortable.”

Cozart, 31, also knows he belongs. He’s been the Reds’ every-day shortstop for six years. His glove was going to keep him in the lineup. That allowed him to experiment at the plate.

“I think that I’ve relaxed overall,” he said. “I don’t panic anymore. In the past if a guy was throwing 96, 97, I felt like I had to cheat a little bit. Now, there’s not a lot of extra stuff going. That makes easier to be in that consistent spot and have a consistent swing.”

Cozart also entered the year fully healthy for the first time since he wrecked his left knee in 2015. It was the kind of injury that ended careers 25 years ago.

Cozart hurt his knee on July 11, and he missed the rest of the season. The rehab was excruitating at times.

“It’s an uncommon baseball injury,” said Reds medical director Dr. Tim Kremchek said. “It’s more of a injury you see in football or soccer when the foot is planted and you get hit on the inside part of the knee. The way he did it was unique. When I watched it at first, I thought he hyperextended it. When you have twisting, I knew it was something worse.

“He had damaged the ACL, meniscus, posterior and lateral ligaments on the outside of his knee. In some ways that’s the kiss of death. You never really know how those guys are going to come back. Can they come back? Can they come back even close to the same level? Especially at shortstop.”

Cozart came back last year and played in 121 games. He played through pain in all of them.

He had a solid year — .252, 16 home runs, 50 RBI — but he knew he could do better.

“Even though I’ve had some decent years, you always want to get better,” he said. “I think that’s the key.”

He did that this year.

“He’s been through a lot,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “He’s been through injuries, the huge injury to his knee back in 2015 and having to watch over that last year. Then to come back and have this type of a season. If he’s 0-for-5, if he’s 4-for-5, he comes in after a win and he’s as happy and as excited as anybody on our ball club, and that’s great to see. And you can’t say that for everybody in baseball. There are people who are really numbers-driven over team wins, and he’s a team player.”

His name has been out there as far as a trade candidate or free agency and all this other stuff, and he’s handled it extremely well and just really focused, as he said, he’s just here to play baseball. He’s doing a heck of a job of that.” DAYTON DAILY NEWS Reds’ Votto passes on Home Run Derby Worry about injury one reason he won’t participate By David Jablonski Posted: 10:54 a.m. Monday, July 03, 2017

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto ranks second in the National League with 23 home runs, but he will not participate in the Home Run Derby on July 10 in Miami, Fla.

“I was asked by Major League Baseball, and I passed,” Votto said Sunday. “I passed because it’s a style of hitting that I never do. I’ve played every game thus far this season, and I’m concerned about two things. I’m concerned about potentially getting injured, and I’m concerned about not being able to do my very best if I can sense an injury. It’s a challenging event. It’s something that I’d rather save for the field and during the games.”

Adam Duvall participated in the Home Run Derby in 2016. won the derby as a Red in Cincinnati in 2015.

Votto and shortstop Zack Cozart will represent the Reds in the 88th All-Star Game on July 11. Votto was selected as a National League reserve. The fans voted Cozart into the game as a starter.

Votto recorded his 1,499th career hit Sunday in a 6-2 loss to the Cubs, tying him with Ted Kluszewski for 10th all time in Reds history. They each have 1,399 hits.

Donkey duo: Cozart, Votto to represent Reds in All-Star Game Cozart to start; Votto makes team as reserve By David Jablonski - Staff Writer Posted: 7:21 p.m. Sunday, July 02, 2017

CINCINNATI — Now that Cincinnati Reds shortstop Zack Cozart knows he will start the 88th All-Star Game on July 11 in Miami, Fla., he has bigger questions to answer.

What will he name his donkey?

Where will his donkey live?

What do donkeys eat?

First baseman Joey Votto promised to buy Cozart a donkey if the fans voted Cozart into the All-Star Game. Votto got his wish. Now Cozart will get his donkey. He'll be a first-time All-Star.

The starters were announced Sunday night on ESPN. Votto also made the National League team as a reserve. It will be his fifth appearance.

Cozart has been fielding questions about the donkey since Votto's promise. The questions continued before the Reds lost 6-2 to the Cubs on Sunday when he posed for photos with fans.

“People were giving me suggestions for names and everything," Cozart said. "I guess I might have to look for some land somewhere. So we’ll see. I think that’s going to happen.”

Votto continues to assure everyone that it will.

“The donkey’s been in the works for a while," Votto said. "We’ve got one taken care of. He was going to be an All-Star from a while ago. I’ve been on this for a minute. Now that he’s back playing and now that it’s confirmed that he made the team, I’m going to have to give him a ring. He doesn’t have a phone. He only uses a pager. He’s kind of in that black market business. He’ll see it’s time to bring that donkey to Cincinnati.”

Ten years after the Reds drafted him in the second round, Cozart will make his first All-Star Game appearance. The 31-year-old from Collierville, Tenn., leads National League shortstops with a .322 average, .403 on-base percentage and five triples.

“I am pretty surprised that I’m starting," Cozart said. "That’s just as good as it gets, I think. Making the team is always an individual goal that you go into the season with. I don’t have a lot of individual goals, but that’s obviously way one of them that’s up there. Obviously starting is that much better because the fans vote you in and they recognize what you’ve done out there. It means a lot. I know Cincinnati was voting hard and I had to have some help outside of Cincy, and that happened.”

Cozart received 2,466,143 votes, finishing 86,117 ahead of the Dodgers' Corey Seager. Cozart will be the first Red to start the All- Star Game since Todd Frazier in 2015. The last Reds shortstop to start was Barry Larkin in 2000.

Votto ranks fifth in the National League with a .317 average, second with a .429 on-base percentage and second with 23 home runs. This will be his first All-Star appearance since 2013.

“I made the All-Star team four consecutive times, and after a while I took them for granted," Votto said. "I expected to be there. It wasn’t until I started taking a few years off from making the team that I realized that’s something that has a good deal of meaning and something a player can be proud of. It’s an event that’s amazingly run and exciting to be a part of. Without sounding too self- involved, I missed it. I missed being a part of that. I missed representing Cincinnati, and I missed the opportunities in the past."

Reds closer Iglesias showing increased velocity By David Jablonski - Staff Writer Posted: 5:07 p.m. Sunday, July 02, 2017

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds lost one of the hardest-throwing pitchers in baseball history when they traded to the in 2015. Two years later, the Reds have a dominant closer who can throw 100 miles per hour — only that’s not news in 2017.

Raisel Iglesias hit 100 on the radar gun Saturday for the Reds. The list of players who can hit 100 in the big leagues is a lot longer these days than it was 10 to 15 years ago.

“Now it seems every team brings a guy in from the bullpen that throws 100,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “The novelty is gone. In regards to Raisel, I like the fact that he’s shown this type of velocity in early July in his first full season as a in our bullpen. I think it speaks to the fact that he’s handling the workload, which I don’t believe has been excessive. He looks healthy. I don’t know where the velocity’s come from.”

Chapman, who’s back with the Yankees after pitching last season with the Cubs, owns the three fastests pitches of the season and seven of the top 10. He hit 102.9 miles per hour on June 17, according to Major League Baseball’s Statcast.

Generous donation: Reds reliever Drew Storen and catcher Tucker Barnhart, along with the Reds Community Fund, donated $50,000 to the Brownsburg (Ind.) Little League on Saturday. The donation will help build a new baseball complex.

Storen and Barnhart played together for two seasons at Brownsburg High School. Storen lived within walking distance of the Brownsburg Little League fields when he moved to the town when he was 11.

“When they told me about the project, obviously I wanted to donate a portion of my salary just to get the Little League back on its feet,” Storen said.

Roster moves: The Reds optioned starting pitcher Jackson Stephens to Triple-A Louisville on Sunday. Stephens earned the victory Saturday in his major-league debut, allowed three earned runs in five innings. The Reds beat the Cubs 5-3.

Stephens was demoted because the Reds need bullpen depth for their seven-game road trip to Colorado and Arizona this week. They promoted Asher Wojciechowski from Triple-A.

The Reds intended to send Stephens back to Triple-A even before he made his start. Stephens likely will get another chance in the rotation after the All-Star break.

“He certainly didn’t hurt his chances with his performance yesterday,” Reds manager Bryan Price said.

Stephens’ next scheduled start would have been Thursday in Colorado. The Reds have not announced who will start that game.

The Reds also moved starter Brandon Finnegan (left shoulder) to the 60-day disabled list.

Prospect acquired: The Reds acquired minor league outfielder/first baseman Nick Longhi from the for international signing bonus pool space. Longhi, the ninth-ranked prospect in Boston’s organization, hit .262 with six home runs in Double-A.

Reds can’t complete sweep of Cubs By David Jablonski - Staff Writer Posted: 4:20 p.m. Sunday, July 02, 2017

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds haven’t swept a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs in Cincinnati since 1996. That’s an odd fact considering the Reds dominated the season series in several of those years: 8-4 in 2000; 12-5 in 2002; 12-4 in 2010; and 14-5 in 2013.

The Reds had a chance to stop the drought Sunday at Great American Ball Park. Cubs starter Jake Arrieta, who allowed one hit in seven scoreless innings, and center fielder Ian Happ, who hit two home runs, made sure they didn’t.

The Cubs beat the Reds 6-2 in front of a crowd of 38,536 to salvage one victory in the three-game series. The Reds still went 4-2 on the homestand against the Brewers and Cubs (41-41), the top two teams in the , raising hopes they can do more than play out the string in the final three months.

“Because the division is down this year and the best teams are hovering a bit over .500, that keeps us in this thing,” Reds manager Bryan Price said. “With the better pitching we’re getting from the rotation and the way we score runs and defend and close games out, there’s no reason to think there’s not a winning streak in there that could make for a lot of fun in the second half.”

The Reds (35-46) are 23-20 at home and 12-26 on the road. They start a four-game series against the Colorado Rockies in Denver on Monday and then play three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks in Phoenix.

“We have to play better on the road,” Price said. “We’re getting challenged here, going to Colorado and Arizona.”

The Reds scored four earned runs in six innings against Arrieta (8-6, 4.33) in April at Great American Ball Park. They had no such luck this time. He looked more like the pitcher who no-hit the Reds in 2016.

“He was good,” Price said. “That was seven innings of one-hit ball. He didn’t get in trouble with bad counts or walks. He didn’t give us much. We only squared up a couple of balls on the barrel. It’s a testament to how good he was.”

Reds starter Tim Adleman (5-5, 4.67) allowed three earned runs on six hits in five innings.

Happ, who played college baseball for the Cincinnati Bearcats, hit a two-run home run in the second and a solo home run in the fourth. He drove in another run with a single in the sixth, tying his career high with four RBIs.

“He had it going today,” Adleman said. “I made a couple of bad pitches where he could handle them. Other than him, it was manageable today, but he got me.”

Reds add bullpen depth for upcoming road trip Stephens sent to Triple-A one day after winning debut By David Jablonski Posted: 11:52 a.m. Sunday, July 02, 2017

CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Reds made four roster moves on Sunday before a 1:10 p.m. game against the Chicago Cubs at Great American Ball Park.

• The Reds optioned starting pitcher Jackson Stephens to Triple-A Louisville. Stephens earned the victory Saturday in his major- league debut, allowed three earned runs in five innings. The Reds beat the Cubs 5-3.

• Stephens was demoted because the Reds need bullpen depth for their road trip to Colorado and Arizona this week. They promoted Asher Wojciechowski from Triple-A.

The Reds intended to send Stephens back to Triple-A even before he made his start. Stephens likely will get another chance in the rotation after the All-Star break.

“He certainly didn’t hurt his chances with his performance yesterday,” Reds manager Bryan Price said.

Stephens’ next scheduled start would have been Thursday in Colorado. The Reds have not announced who will start that game.

“We have a pitcher in mind,” Price said, “but we won’t share who that is until that pitcher is informed he’ll be making that start.

• The Reds moved starter Brandon Finnegan (left shoulder) to the 60-day disabled list.

• The Reds acquired minor league outfielder/first baseman Nick Longhi from the Boston Red Sox for international signing bonus pool space. Longhi, the ninth-ranked prospect in Boston’s organization, hit .262 with six home runs in Double-A.

ESPN.COM All-Star Zack Cozart expects Reds teammate Joey Votto to deliver on donkey pledge ESPN.com news services 9:56 AM ET

Zack Cozart is a first-time All-Star and expects to be a new donkey owner as well.

Cincinnati Reds teammate Joey Votto promised Cozart in spring training that he would get Cozart a donkey if he made the National League All-Star team. Cozart made good on his end Sunday, when he was voted the NL's starting shortstop.

Cozart said he takes his son to a facility near the Reds' spring training complex, and they feed the donkeys.

Cozart said on ESPN's Baseball Tonight that when Votto made the donkey pledge to him, "it started off as just ha, ha, ha ... but it got real really quick."

He said that he expects Votto to fulfill his promise and now has to search for some land for the donkey to roam.

"Oh yeah, anybody that knows Joey Votto knows that donkey is going to be here," he said. "This is happening -- a legit, real donkey. No name picked out, but that will be the next order of business, that's for sure."

Votto also is on the All-Star team, as he was included in the reserve selections. He had fun with the subject earlier Sunday.

"I'm going to have to give (the donkey guy) a ring," he said. "He doesn't have a phone. He only uses a pager. He's kind of in that black-market business. He'll see it's time to bring that donkey to Cincinnati."

Cozart has hit .322 with nine home runs and 33 RBIs in the first half. ASSOCIATED PRESS Arrieta sharp again, Happ homers twice as Cubs beat Reds 6-2 By JOE KAY Today

CINCINNATI (AP) — Jake Arrieta was shutting ‘em down and the Cubs’ offense was piling up the hits. The defending World Series champions felt a little more like their old selves for one game.

Next challenge: Keep it going into the All-Star break.

Arrieta pitched one-hit ball for seven innings without allowing a stolen base on Sunday, and Ian Happ homered twice in the ballpark where he played as a college star, leading Chicago to a 6-2 victory over the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cubs (41-41) salvaged the final game of their series with a little vintage form.

“That’s kind of what we do when we’re at our best,” Arrietta said.

Injuries to the starting lineup and inconsistencies in the rotation have left the World Series champions treading water. Arrieta (8-6) was coming off a subpar performance that created friction and a surprise move.

The Nationals stole seven bases off Arrieta during their 6-1 win on Tuesday, and catcher Miguel Montero complained afterward about the pitcher’s move to the plate with runners on base. Montero was cut loose the following day.

Back in the ballpark where he threw a no-hitter last season, Arrieta was back in form, allowing only Joey Votto’s first-inning single and a pair of walks — the Reds were never in position to try to steal. Votto singled home a pair of runs in the eighth off Koji Uehara.

Arrieta matched his season high by going seven innings for the third time. He got his changeup working and induced a lot of awkward swings.

“That was as good as I’ve seen Jake in a bit,” manager Joe Maddon said.

The Reds felt that way, too.

“Arrieta was really good,” manager Bryan Price said . “He didn’t give us much.”

Happ grew up in the Pittsburgh area and played at the University of Cincinnati, including one game at Great American Ball Park. His mother was in the stands along with many former teammates and friends. Happ was well aware of the tendency for balls to fly in warm weather at Great American.

“Day games here, if you get one on the barrel you’ve got a chance,” Happ said.

The first-round pick from 2015 hit a two-run homer and a solo shot off Tim Adleman (5-5). The rookie added an RBI single, the third time he’s driven in four runs in a game.

Anthony Rizzo also had a solo homer, and Javier Baez doubled home a run as the Cubs prevented a three-game sweep.

PACK ’EM IN

The Reds drew 60,838 fans for a three-game series against Milwaukee leading up to the Chicago series. They drew 117,863 fans for the weekend series, many of them Cubs fans.

STATS

It was Happ’s second multi-homer game. ... Javier Baez singled and doubled off Adleman, leaving him 5 for 6 career off the right- hander with a pair of doubles and a homer. ... The last Cubs player to hit three homers in a game was Kris Bryant at Great American last June 27. ... Votto’s two singles left him with 1,499 career hits, tied with Ted Kluszewski for 10th on the franchise list.

REDS MOVES

Cincinnati acquired Double-A outfielder/first baseman Nick Longhi from Boston in exchange for international signing bonus pool space. The Reds also optioned RH starter Jackson Stephenson to Triple-A Louisville and called up RHP Asher Wojciechowski. LHP Brandon Finnegan was moved to the 60-day DL with a shoulder injury.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Cubs: Ben Zobrist started in right field, his first start since returning from a sore left wrist that sidelined him for 17 games. He was activated a day earlier and pinch hit.

Reds: SS Zack Cozart was back after getting a day of rest. Cozart is recovering from a strained right thigh.

UP NEXT

Cubs: After a day off, they open a six-game homestand heading into the All-Star break. John Lackey (5-9) starts against Tampa Bay’s Chris Asher (6-5). In his last start, Lackey gave up a season-high eight runs in 5 1/3 innings of an 8-4 loss to Washington.

Reds: Luis Castillo (0-0) makes his third major league start as Cincinnati begins a seven-game road trip at Coors Field, facing Colorado’s Jeff Hoffman (4-1). Castillo was the victim of blown saves in his first two starts.

Pete Rose’s record-breaking ball fetches $403,000 Associated Press Published 12:38 p.m. ET July 2, 2017 | Updated 12:38 p.m. ET July 2, 2017

CINCINNATI - The baseball Pete Rose swatted to left-center field for his record-setting 4,192th hit has sold at auction for more than $403,000.

The auction site Lelands.com reports that the ball sold Saturday for $403,657.20. Rose’s single off San Diego’s Eric Show on Sept. 11, 1985, at Cincinnati’s broke Ty Cobb’s hits record.

Lelands didn’t say who bought the ball, which came with documentation including copies of a notarized letter signed by Rose and a letter from the collector who first bought it from Rose.

Lelands said the ball initially was sold in 1987, becoming the first piece of sports memorabilia to fetch six figures.

Rose was banned from baseball and remains ineligible for the Hall of Fame for betting on Reds games when he managed the team.

TRANSACTIONS 07/03/17 New York Yankees signed RHP Dalton Higgins.

07/02/17 traded RHP Tyler Frohwirth to . signed free agent RHP Jean Lucas to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Angels signed free agent RHP Sadrac Franco to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Angels signed free agent RHP Jose Rodriguez to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Angels signed free agent OF Raider Uceta to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Angels signed free agent OF Jose Reyes to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Angels signed free agent OF D'Shawn Knowles to a minor league contract. Chicago Cubs signed free agent SS Luis Verdugo to a minor league contract. signed free agent RHP Damian Mendoza to a minor league contract. signed free agent SS Juan Querecuto to a minor league contract. Boston Red Sox signed free agent SS Antoni Flores to a minor league contract. Texas Rangers signed free agent SS Keyber Rodriguez to a minor league contract. signed free agent OF Adrian Hernandez to a minor league contract. signed free agent 3B Miguel Hiraldo to a minor league contract. signed free agent OF Larry Ernesto to a minor league contract. New York Yankees signed free agent SS Roberto Chirinos to a minor league contract. Boston Red Sox signed free agent 3B Danny Diaz to a minor league contract. New York Mets signed free agent SS Ronny Mauricio to a minor league contract. Philadelphia Phillies signed free agent SS Luis Garcia to a minor league contract. New York Yankees signed free agent OF Everson Pereira to a minor league contract. signed free agent SS Jelfry Marte to a minor league contract. signed free agent P Delvis Alegre to a minor league contract. Toronto Blue Jays signed free agent RHP Eric Pardinho to a minor league contract. Miami Marlins signed free agent OF Adonis Giron to a minor league contract. signed free agent SS Jose Tena to a minor league contract. Cleveland Indians signed free agent SS Brayan Rocchio to a minor league contract. Miami Marlins signed free agent C Jhonaiker Osori to a minor league contract. Miami Marlins signed free agent RHP Zaquiel Puentes to a minor league contract. Cleveland Indians signed free agent SS Wilfri Peralta to a minor league contract. Cleveland Indians signed CF Quentin Holmes. Cleveland Indians signed free agent OF Marlin Made to a minor league contract. Miami Marlins signed free agent C Jonathan Chinchilla to a minor league contract. Cleveland Indians signed free agent SS Cesar Idrogo to a minor league contract. Miami Marlins signed free agent SS Julio Machado to a minor league contract. 3B Stanley Espinal roster status changed by St. Louis Cardinals. Milwaukee Brewers signed free agent CF Carlos Rodriguez to a minor league contract. Miami Marlins signed free agent SS Ynmanol Marinez to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Dodgers signed free agent SS Amin Valdez to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Angels signed free agent CF Trent Deveaux to a minor league contract. signed free agent SS Frank Herrera to a minor league contract. Houston Astros signed free agent RHP Heitor Tokar to a minor league contract. signed free agent SS Alvaro Gonzalez to a minor league contract. Colorado Rockies signed free agent SS Fadriel Cruz to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Dodgers signed RHP Riley Ottesen. Los Angeles Dodgers signed RHP Wills Montgomerie. Los Angeles Dodgers signed RHP Andre Jackson. Cleveland Indians signed free agent SS Aaron Bracho to a minor league contract. Cleveland Indians signed free agent OF George Valera to a minor league contract. signed free agent SS Sydney Pimentel to a minor league contract. Detroit Tigers placed OF Alex Presley on the 10-day disabled list retroactive to June 23, 2017. Concussion. Boston Red Sox signed free agent C Daniel Flores to a minor league contract. signed free agent OF Asmin Bautista to a minor league contract. Los Angeles Dodgers traded LHP Jason Wheeler to Baltimore Orioles for Future Considerations. New York Yankees traded RHP Matt Wotherspoon to Baltimore Orioles for Future Considerations. Arizona Diamondbacks signed free agent OF Kristian Robinson to a minor league contract. Chicago White Sox signed free agent C Jefferson Mendoza to a minor league contract. Boston Red Sox traded 1B Nick Longhi to Cincinnati Reds for Future Considerations. Cincinnati Reds optioned RHP Jackson Stephens to . Cincinnati Reds selected the contract of RHP Asher Wojciechowski from Louisville Bats. Cincinnati Reds transferred LHP Brandon Finnegan from the 10-day disabled list to the 60-day disabled list. Left shoulder injury. Houston Astros recalled LHP Ashur Tolliver from . St. Louis Cardinals signed 2B Kramer Robertson. St. Louis Cardinals signed RHP Wilberto Rivera. St. Louis Cardinals signed 3B Donivan Williams. Boston Red Sox traded SS Imeldo Diaz and 3B Stanley Espinal to St. Louis Cardinals for Other Considerations. Toronto Blue Jays traded CF Lane Thomas to St. Louis Cardinals for Other Considerations. Chicago Cubs sent OF Jason Heyward on a rehab assignment to South Bend Cubs. Baltimore Orioles optioned RHP Alec Asher to . Baltimore Orioles recalled RHP Jimmy Yacabonis from Norfolk Tides. Cleveland Indians optioned Ryan Merritt to . Detroit Tigers optioned Matthew Boyd to . Houston Astros sent RHP Charlie Morton on a rehab assignment to Corpus Christi Hooks. New York Yankees signed free agent C Hemmanuel Rosario to a minor league contract. recalled RHP from . Texas Rangers optioned RHP Tanner Scheppers to Round Rock Express. Texas Rangers activated RHP Tony Barnette from the 10-day disabled list. Texas Rangers designated RHP Preston Claiborne for assignment. Toronto Blue Jays traded cash and RHP Jason Grilli to Texas Rangers for OF Eduard Pinto. Kansas City Royals optioned to . Minnesota Twins optioned Felix Jorge to . Atlanta Braves sent RHP Chaz Roe on a rehab assignment to Florida Fire Frogs. signed free agent SS Wander Franco to a minor league contract. Seattle Mariners recalled CF Boog Powell from Tacoma Rainiers. Seattle Mariners optioned RHP Max Povse to Tacoma Rainiers. recalled RHP Kevin Quackenbush from El Paso Chihuahuas. San Diego Padres optioned LHP Dillon Overton to El Paso Chihuahuas. Oakland Athletics optioned RHP Jesse Hahn to Nashville Sounds.