CHICAGO (Interstat) — Tyler Stephenson hit a tiebreaking three-run homer in a five-run sixth inning and TJ Friedl added a solo shot in the ninth as the Cincinnati Reds held on for a 10-8 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

The Reds improved to 64-73 with the win, while the Cubs dropped to 76-60. Cincinnati trailed 3-2 entering the sixth but broke open the game with five runs, highlighted by Stephenson’s two-out blast. The Cubs then rallied back within a run in the eighth before Friedl’s insurance homer.

Cubs starter David Peterson worked five effective innings, scattering six hits and two earned runs while striking out six. But the Cubs bullpen could not hold a one-run lead. Trevor Thornton, who came on after Peterson departed, was charged with the loss and fell to 4-5 on the season.

Cincinnati starter Rhett Lowder earned the win despite a modest outing. Lowder allowed three runs on six hits over five innings and struck out five, improving to 6-8. Emilio Pagán pitched a scoreless ninth inning for his 18th save.

The Cubs took the early lead against Lowder in the first inning. Seiya Suzuki doubled and scored on Alex Bregman’s double to make it 1-0. In the third, Michael Busch hit a two-run homer with Suzuki aboard, extending the Cubs lead to 3-0.

Cincinnati answered in the fourth when Héctor Rodríguez singled to center, scoring JJ Bleday. Sal Stewart then homered to lead off the fifth, cutting the Reds’ deficit to 3-2.

The game turned in the sixth. Matt McLain lined out to open the inning, but Jose Trevino homered to center field, tying the game at 3. Héctor Rodríguez walked and Dane Myers flied out for the second out. Elly De La Cruz then singled, putting runners at the corners with two outs, and Stewart singled to right to score Rodríguez and put Cincinnati ahead 4-3. Stephenson followed with his 13th homer of the season, a three-run shot to center that scored De La Cruz and Stewart and gave the Reds a 7-3 lead.

Cincinnati added two more runs in the seventh. McLain was hit by a pitch to start the rally, Rodríguez singled, and Myers reached on a fielder’s choice when third baseman Alex Bregman threw errantly, allowing McLain and Rodríguez to advance. De La Cruz then singled to left, scoring both runners and pushing the lead to 9-3.

Suzuki singled in a run in the bottom of the seventh to make it 9-4, and the Cubs threatened again after loading the bases, but Bregman struck out to end the inning.

The Cubs made it close in the eighth. Ian Happ singled and Nico Hoerner singled before Pedro Ramírez hit his fourth home run of the season, a three-run shot to right that cut Cincinnati’s lead to 9-7. Matt Shaw doubled and later scored on Suzuki’s RBI double to make it 9-8. But pinch-hitter TJ Friedl responded in the top of the ninth, hitting a leadoff homer to right field to restore a two-run lead.

Friedl, who entered the game late, finished with one hit in one at-bat. Stephenson went 2 for 5 with the homer and three RBIs, while Stewart went 2 for 4 with a homer and two RBIs. Trevino also homered for Cincinnati. Seiya Suzuki led the Cubs with three hits and two RBIs, while Busch drove in two runs with his homer. Pedro Ramírez drove in three runs with his home run in the eighth.

The Reds totaled 13 hits, and the Cubs also finished with 13 hits. Cincinnati used a bullpen by committee after Lowder’s exit, with Brock Burke recording a strikeout in relief and Luis Mey working out of a jam. Pagán struck out one in the ninth to seal the victory.

Attendance was 39,036 and the game lasted 3 hours, 7 minutes. The teams will meet again Saturday at Wrigley Field.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a final score of Chicago Cubs 4, Cincinnati Reds 3, and Interstat’s ELO system gave the Cubs a 65.70 percent probability to win. Chicago had been installed as a pregame favorite with a spread of -1.5. The total score of 18 went under the over/under line of 8.5.