Jackson drives in 5, Cubs beat Reds 10-3

-2B Starlin Castro is making a bid to earn the nod at second base in the postseason after going 4-for-5 with a double, two RBIs and three runs.

Jackson drove in a career-high five runs, Jon Lester set a team record for strikeouts in a season by a left-handed pitcher and the playoff-bound Cubs beat Cincinnati 10-3 for their fourth straight win.

Meanwhile, Haren gave up a two-out single to Eugenio Suarez in the second, an infield hit to Jason Bourgeois in the sixth and an opposite-field double by Tucker Barnhart in the eighth.

It’s been an up-and-down debut season on the North Side for Lester since he went 0-2 with a 6.23 ERA in his first four starts as a Cub.

Then he walked opposing pitcher Jon Lester after having him 0-and-2, opening the gates of destruction, and the Cincinnati Reds lost for the 11th straight time, 10-3.

The Cubs swept yet another series, this time on a rainy afternoon in Cincinnati.

Cincinnati Reds relief pitcher Tony Cingrani is unable to reach the…

The Cubs were previously tied with the 1978 Brewers and 2002 Mariners as third-place teams to reach 93 wins. Anthony Rizzo leads Chicago with 156 hits and 95 RBI while Kris Bryant and Dexter Fowler have combined for 144 RBI. Chicago (94-65) won its fifth straight game to pull within two games of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the battle for home field in the National League wild-card game. With Johnny Cueto and Mike Leake traded midseason, the 24-year-old DeSclafani led the staff in starts (31), wins and innings (184 2-3) in his first full campaign. He wound up allowing five hits and struck out five in his five-inning, 86-pitch outing. Travis Wood got a game-ending double play for his third save in as many chances.

“He was pretty much unhittable”, said manager Joe Maddon. “That’s really the best he’s thrown the ball for us”.

“Danny was very focused tonight”.

Haren hadn’t pitched since September 18, using his time away from the mound to rest and work on his pitches.

“I guess it’s been a good season overall”, said DeSclafani. “I’m confident I can get the job done”.

They have got a bad combination going: An all-rookie rotation and a struggling offence. Cincinnati scored three unearned runs in the seventh. They managed only three singles during a 5-1 loss to Washington on Monday. It rained steadily through most of Thursday’s game but not enough to result in the 19th rain delay this season at Great American Ball Park. The Cubs also were involved in one of three postponed games at GABP, one that was called off after a 4:13 delay.

That one has stuck in their memory. “It’s raining in Cincinnati?” The dozen consecutive defeats match the mark set by the 1993 team – the franchise’s longest losing streak in 70 years.