CINCINNATI (AP) — Elly De La Cruz, Will Benson and Matt McLain homered, Nick Martinez pitched seven shutout innings and the Cincinnati Reds snapped a three-game losing streak with a 7-1 win over the Chicago White Sox on Thursday.
The Reds came in averaging 2.2 runs over their last 10 games. They won Thursday for just the third time in 12 games.
Martinez (2-4) gave up two hits and walked none while striking out three. He has not given up a walk in his last three starts covering 19 innings.
De La Cruz’s homer was his eighth of the season and third in five games. Benson’s was his first and McLain’s his sixth. Those three and Gavin Lux had two hits apiece with Benson driving in three.
Bryse Wilson (0-2) went 5 1/3 innings, giving up seven runs on 10 hits, including the three homers. He walked one and struck out three.
Miguel Vargas had two hits and drove in Chicago’s only run in the eighth.
Key moment
The Reds opened the first with a walk and two singles to load the bases. Austin Hays followed with a sacrifice fly, Benson hit a two-out, two-run single and Cincinnati never looked back.
Key stat
The loss ended Chicago’s season-high three-game win streak.
Up next
Shane Smith (1-2, 2.08) will pitch for the White Sox against the Cubs’ Cade Horton (1-0, 6.75). The Reds’ Brady Singer (4-2, 4.97) will face Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee (3-3, 3.80) on Friday.