Reds Beat Cubs, 5-4, as Parker Gets 4 Hits

Dave Parker admits he’s had his ups and downs while playing against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

Tuesday was an up day.

The Cincinnati Reds’ slugger went 4 for 5 and drove in the tie-breaking run in the fifth inning to help the Reds score a 5-4 victory over the Cubs. The victory was the Reds’ sixth in their last eight games on the current road trip.

“It all depends. It’s peaks and valleys. Today, it was a peak day for me,” said Parker, who also scored a run in the fourth. “I’ve had my ups and downs against the Cubs here. The key is to play within yourself. Those close-in fences make it easy to switch your mechanics.”

Parker improved his average 15 points to .311 with his effort.

Tom Browning, 2-4, pitched the first 6 innings to earn the victory, and Ron Robinson struck out six in the final 2 innings to earn his third save.

“I was relying on fastballs,” said Robinson, who struck out the side in the ninth. “I kinda thought my roommate (John Franco, who leads the club in saves) might get in there at the end.”

Steve Trout, 2-3, took the loss, giving up four runs, but the Cubs’ defense committed three errors that led to a pair of unearned runs.

“Actually, I thought our defense let us down today more than the pitching,” Cubs manager Jim Frey said. “I thought Trout has thrown better, but he didn’t pitch a bad game.”

Trout shook off the porous Cubs’ defense.

“You win as a team, you lose as a team,” he said. “Some days you don’t pitch so well, but the defense gives you a lift.”

The Reds took a 3-2 lead in the fifth when Dave Concepcion walked with two out, stole second and scored on Parker’s run-scoring single off the right field wall.

Cincinnati scored unearned runs in the sixth and seventh. In the sixth, Buddy Bell led off with a single but was forced by Eric Davis, who went to third on Ron Cey’s error on Bo Diaz’ grounder and scored on Wayne Rowdon’s sacrifice fly.

Concepcion singled with one out in the seventh and Parker followed with a single. Parker strayed too far off first and the Cubs caught him in a rundown but shortstop Shawon Dunston dropped first baseman Leon Durham’s throw at second, allowing Concepcion to score.

Chicago closed to 5-4 in the seventh when Cey led off with a double to left, went to third on Durham’s single and scored on Jody Davis’ sacrifice fly to right that knocked out Browning.