The Cincinnati Reds' Joey Votto answered the Chicago Cubs' Kris Bryant with a game-winning three-run home run in the ninth inning as the Reds (55-77) outlasted the Cubs (75-57) on route to a  7-4 victory Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field. With the win, the Reds took two of three in the series and let the N.L. Central know that the Reds will have something to say about who finishes where despite their impending elimination from the postseason.

Votto broke a 4-4 tie in the top of the ninth with a three-run bomb (27) into the left-center-field bleachers to give the Reds a 7-4 lead. Jason Bourgeois and Jay Bruce scored ahead of him.

Votto got his chance because of Bryant's two-out error on Bruce's ground ball that would have ended the inning with the score tied.

Before his error, Bryant played hero in the bottom of the eighth. With one out and Dexter Fowler aboard, Bryant homered to left (22) to tie the game.

Cincinnati scored single runs in the first (Bourgeois home run, 2), second (Eugenio Suarez RBI single), fifth (Raisel Iglesias RBI triple), and sixth (Brayan Pena RBI ground out).

The Cubs got solo home runs from Tommy La Stella (1) in the bottom of the third and Anthony Rizzo (27) in the fourth. For La Stella, it was his second career home run in 104 games with the Cubs and Atlanta Braves. Wednesday's was only his 11th game of the season due mainly to injury.

J.J. Hoover (W: 7-0, 2.02 ERA) blew the save by serving up Bryant's home run in the eighth, but he got the win. He pitched one inning, allowing two earned runs on two hits while walking one and striking out one. Aroldis Chapman (S: 27) got into a jam but struck out Fowler, representing the tying run, to end the threat. Reds starter Iglesias lasted seven innings, allowing two runs on three hits (two home runs) with three walks and 10 strikeouts. He was also 1 for 3 with 1 RBI at the plate.

Hector Rondon (L: 5-3, 1.50) served up Votto's blast to suffer the loss. All three runs were unearned thanks to Bryant's error. Rondon allowed three hits in his only inning of work. Cubs starter Jason Hammel allowed four runs on seven hits in five innings. He walked none, struck out four, and gave up Bourgeios's home run.

With the loss, the Cubs trail the Pittsburgh Pirates by five games for the top N.L. Wild Card position but lead the San Francisco Giants by six games for Spot #2 -- both situations pending the outcomes of the Pirates' and Giants' night games. 

Both the Cubs and Reds have Thursday off. Beginning Friday, the Cubs host the Arizona Diamondbacks over the weekend while Cincinnati returns home to take on the Milwaukee Brewers.