CHICAGO — Dansby Swanson homered twice and drove in five runs, and the Chicago Cubs pounded the Cincinnati Reds 20-9 on Tuesday night.
Mike Tauchman also went deep and finished with four RBIs as Chicago won for the ninth time in 11 games, bouncing back in a major way after a 6-5 loss in the opener of the four-game series.
The Cubs bashed seven homers while also setting season highs for runs and hits with 21.
Jeimer Candelario went 4 for 5 and scored two runs in his first game since he was reacquired by Chicago in a trade with Washington on Monday.
Candelario also made his big league debut with the Cubs in 2016.
Chicago (54-53) pulled within four games of NL Central-leading Cincinnati. It also remains in the mix for a wild card.
Tyler Stephenson hit a two-run homer for the Reds, and Matt McLain finished with three hits and two RBIs. Christian Encarnacion-Strand added a two-run single in the team’s four-run ninth inning.
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Cincinnati (59-50) had its division lead trimmed to a half-game over Milwaukee, which won 6-4 at Washington.
Sam Moll joined Cincinnati one day after he was acquired in a trade with Oakland.
The lefty reliever pitched 1 1/3 scoreless innings in his Reds debut.
“It’s exciting. Obviously a quick turnaround,” Moll said before the loss. “One day you’re in one color. The next day you’re in the other, so it’s just a little bit of just craziness. But same game, same thing, same job.”
Right-hander Daniel Duarte was optioned to Triple-A Louisville to make room on the roster.
Cincinnati did not make another trade ahead of the deadline.
“We had a lot of conversations,” general manager Nick Krall said. “I thought we were getting closer, but at the end of the day, just couldn’t pull off a deal.”
