CINCINNATI — Joey Votto hit a two-run homer in his first at-bat Saturday, and Jonny Gomes broke the game open with a bases-loaded single in the seventh off Carlos Zambrano, leading the Cincinnati Reds to a 14-2 victory over the Chicago Cubs.
Votto extended his hitting streak to seven games when he connected off left-hander Tom Gorzelanny (1-4), who hadn't allowed a homer by a left-handed batter. Gomes' single sparked a five-run rally in the seventh, and Ryan Hanigan added his first career grand slam an inning later.
Aaron Harang (2-4) struck out a season-high nine in 6 2/3 innings of Cincinnati's most lopsided win this season.
Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro doubled and scored in four at-bats, a day after he drove in a record six runs during his debut. He also committed his first error, starting up the Reds' decisive rally in the seventh.
The Reds have won eight of 12, moving back to .500 by repeatedly pulling out games in the final innings. They won this one going away, finishing with their most runs this season.
And Castro, fresh off his unprecedented debut, had a hand in it.
The 20-year-old shortstop doubled off Harang in the top of the seventh and eventually scored when Arthur Rhodes walked Xavier Nady with the bases loaded, cutting it to 3-2.
Castro then started the Reds' seventh by botching Orlando Cabrera's grounder. Second baseman Mike Fontenot followed with another error, and Sean Marshall walked the bases loaded. Zambrano, who agreed to move to the bullpen last month, came on and gave up Gomes' two-run single.
Hanigan drove in Cincinnati's final runs with his first career grand slam in the eighth off Justin Berg.
Castro had an historic debut on Friday night, hitting a three-run homer in his first at-bat and driving in a record six runs during a 14-7 win. A day later, he had a couple of bad moments in the field.
The first one came in the third inning, when Brandon Phillips singled to the hole at shortstop. Castro's long throw wasn't even close. Phillips then stole second by reaching around Castro's tag to get the base with his left hand, a veteran trick that worked on the youngest shortstop in Cubs history. Gomes' single made it 3-0.
Notes
It was 81 degrees at the first pitch on Friday night, 51 degrees on Saturday night. … The Reds hadn't won a game by more than four runs. … The Cubs activated RH reliever Esmailin Caridad off the 15-day DL. He'd been sidelined since April 12 with a strained right forearm. Reliever Jeff Gray was optioned to Triple-A Iowa. … Struggling LH reliever John Grabow went back to Chicago for a precautionary MRI on his sore left knee. No problem was found. Grabow will get a couple days of rest. He's 0-2 with a 9.26 ERA.