Travis Wood pitched six innings of two-hit ball against his former team for his first win in two months, leading the Chicago Cubs to a 3-0 victory over Johnny Cueto and the Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday night.
Arismendy Alcantara hit a two-run shot and Anthony Rizzo connected for his 30th homer for the Cubs, who have won four in a row for the first time since June 30-July 4.
Cincinnati was shut out for the 12th time this season. Cueto (15-8) struck out eight in 6 1-3 innings in his second straight loss after winning seven consecutive decisions.
Wood (8-11) struck out five and walked one in his first victory since he pitched eight innings in a 3-0 win at Philadelphia on June 15. The left-hander, who made the All-Star team last season, was 0-6 with a 5.45 ERA in his previous 12 starts.
He improved to 2-5 with a 3.30 ERA in nine career starts against the Reds, who selected him in the second round of the 2005 draft.
Neil Ramirez struck out the side in the seventh, Pedro Strop pitched the eighth and Hector Rondon finished for his 22nd save.
Rizzo went deep with two out in the first, driving a 2-1 pitch into the seats in right. The All-Star first baseman joined Miami's Giancarlo Stanton as the only two National Leaguers with at least 30 home runs.
Chicago Baseball
Starlin Castro, in his first game back from the bereavement list, followed with a single as the rain increased, forcing a 50-minute delay just five minutes into the game.
Alcantara followed Matt Szczur's leadoff single in the seventh with his fifth homer of the season and second in two games. He also homered on Sunday against Baltimore in Chicago's final home game before embarking on a seven-game, six-day road trip.
