Aquino hits three homers in win

Reds 10, Cubs 1

CINCINNATI — Aristides Aquino is from the baseball-mad Dominican Republic. His hot start with the Cincinnati Reds has gotten the attention of folks back there.

“People back home say his stance is really ugly, but he hits the ball really well,” Aquino said. Really, really well. Aquino hit three home runs to propel the Reds to a 10-1 victory over the Chicago Cubs Saturday night at Great American Ball Park. Aquino walked on four pitches in his fourth at-bat, and the fans lustily booed Cubs reliever Alec Mills. Mills struck out Aquino in his fifth at-bat.

All the offense was much more than Sonny Gray needed. He went six shutout innings and only allowed two hits.

The Reds have taken two straight to pull within six of games of the Cubs in the National League Central.

Nick Senzel, Eugenio Suárez and Kyle Farmer also homered.

Aquino, a 25-year-old rookie, has seven home runs in the 10 games with Reds. Since starting 0 for 6, Aquino is 13 for 18 with the seven home runs and 13 RBI. He is the second Reds rookie to homer in four straight games. Eric Davis did it Sept. 3-6 in 1984.

The Reds jumped on Cubs starter Kyle Hendricks early and often.

Aquino hit the first pitch of the Reds’ second inning out for his fifth home run. Senzel made it back-to-back with his ninth of the year.

Cincinnati broke it open with a two-out rally in the third. Aquino got it started with his second home run of the night. Senzel followed with a single and took second on center fielder Albert Almora Jr.’s error. Tucker Barnhart singled to get Senzel in. José Peraza then doubled. Gray singled scored both runners and make it 7-0.