CHICAGO — Put a Chicago Cubs reliever — any reliever, it doesn't seem to matter who — on the mound these days, and he's going to get the job done.

        The bullpen held the Reds to three hits after a rain delay in the Cuibs' 4-2 victory. The game started 1 hour, 15 minutes late, and a rain delay in the top of the third lasted another 1:33.

        While Reds manager Bob Boone left starter Rob Bell in the game, Baylor went right to his bullpen. Todd Van Poppel (2-1) allowed only one hit and three walks in 3 2-3 innings, striking out five.

        Manny Aybar and Felix Heredia each pitched a hitless third of an inning. Kyle Farnsworth gave up two hits in 1 1-3 innings, but he also struck out three.

        Then Tom Gordon came in and pitched the ninth for his fourth save. It was the fourth appearance in four days and first consecutive saves for Gordon, who missed all of last season after reconstructive elbow surgery.

        “Any time you have competition among your players, it's a good thing,” Gordon said. “We're trying to push each other every day. When a guy pitches and he pitches well, it makes you want to pitch well and even better.”

        Notes:

        Sammy Sosa missed his second game in a row with tightness in his lower back. He expects to play today ... Ron Coomer's RBI single extended his hitting streak to 11 games. That matches his career high. ... Van Poppel got the fourth hit of his career and first since Aug. 24, 1998.

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