
Friedl hits a tiebreaking single in the 7th inning as the Reds edge the Cubs 3-2
Tyler Stephenson homered for Cincinnati, and Elly De La Cruz had an RBI double. The Reds (59-54) had dropped four of six.
Dansby Swanson hit his 17th homer for the Cubs (65-47), who fell three games behind NL Central-leading Milwaukee.
With two outs and runners on the corners in the seventh, Friedl drove in Jake Fraley with a looper into center field against Caleb Thielbar. Ryan Brasier (0-1) got the loss.
The Cubs threatened in the bottom half, advancing Willi Castro to third with two down. Swanson then hit a chopper to third and was ruled safe.
The Reds challenged, and the call was overturned when a replay review showed Swanson missed the bag initially as he crossed first base.
Both starters, Cincinnati's Nick Lodolo and Chicago's Michael Soroka, exited with injuries.
The Cubs grabbed a 2-1 lead on Dansby Swanson's two-run homer off Nick Martinez in the third. But they finished with just three hits.
Scott Barlow (5-0) pitched two innings for the win, and Emilio Pagán tossed a 1-2-3 ninth for his 24th save.
Pitching on his 28th birthday, Soroka departed his Cubs debut after two innings because of right shoulder discomfort. He was acquired in a trade with Washington on Thursday.
Ben Brown replaced Soroka and tossed four innings of one-run ball.
Key stat
The Cubs had won three of four.
Up next
Zack Littell (8-8, 3.58 ERA) makes his Cincinnati debut on Tuesday night, and left-hander Shota Imanaga (8-4, 3.25 ERA) starts for Chicago. Littell was acquired in a trade with Tampa Bay last week.
___

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