CHICAGO (AP) — Mike Leake left with a two-run lead after seven innings. The Cincinnati Reds’ bullpen couldn’t hold off the Cubs.

First, reliever Jumbo Diaz gave up a tying two-run homer to Jorge Soler — his second two-run shot of the night — in the eighth inning. Manny Parra then loaded the bases without getting an out in the 10th, and Burke Badenhop allowed Arismenddy Alcantara’s winning RBI single to lift Chicago to a 7-6 win Monday night.

“I think we’re certainly capable of throwing the ball better than we have to this point, by far,” Reds manager Bryan Price said.

Anthony Rizzo led off the 10th with a walk against Parra (0-1). Price decided to stay with the left-handed Parra against Soler, who singled to left on a 3-2 pitch with Rizzo stopping at third after he had reached second on a wild pitch.

Chris Coghlan walked to load the bases with no outs and chase Parra. Badenhop came on and got Starlin Castro to ground into a force play at the plate, and Alcantara followed with a sharp grounder up the middle and past the drawn-in infield.

The Reds’ bullpen came in 4-2 with a 4.22 ERA in 21.1 innings.

Diaz was coming off an outing Sunday when he was charged with two runs and a blown save against the St. Louis Cardinals. A night later, Diaz wasn’t any better.

“You can’t ask these guys to be emotionally confident in themselves if I jerk them out of a role in the first time that they don’t get the job done,” Price said.

Leake went seven innings and allowed four runs and Brandon Phillips had four hits for the Reds, while Marlon Byrd and Jay Bruce each drove in two runs.

“I settled in after (Chicago’s three-run first) and tried to keep us in it, and the offense did a good job of coming back and scoring more for us,” Leake said.

Hector Rondon (1-0) gave up two hits in the top of the 10th to pick up the win that pushed the Cubs into first place in the NL Central.

“I just like the way we played,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “We played with fight.”

Coghlan had three hits and a homer as the Cubs came back from three runs down to overcome a rough start by Jon Lester, who gave up six runs and 10 hits in six innings as his ERA ballooned to 7.84.

COGHLAN WINS

Coghlan started the day 5 for 5 against Leake and continued his mastery of the Reds’ starter, getting three more hits against him. “It’s my job to figure him out and so far I haven’t,” Leake said. “Need to get on video and see something.”

MOVES AND MOVES

Before the game, the Reds selected the contract of C Kyle Shipworth from Double-A Pensacola and RHP Josh Smith from Triple-A Louisville. RHP Raisel Iglesias and INF Chris Dominguez were optioned to Louisville, and RHP Daniel Corcino and LHP Ryan Dennick were designated for assignment.

TRAINER’S ROOM

Reds: C Devin Mesoraco stayed in Cincinnati to undergo an MRI on his ailing left hip. … OF Billy Hamilton didn’t start because of what the team described as general soreness.

Cubs: 2B Tommy La Stella hasn’t played since April 8 because of a strain in his right side. If La Stella doesn’t improve soon, a stint on the disabled list is likely. … 3B Mike Olt (sore right wrist) originally was in the lineup but was scratched about 90 minutes before the game.

UP NEXT

The series continues Tuesday night with the Cubs’ Jake Arrieta (1-0, 0.00) looking for his second win of the season against RHP Anthony DeSclafani (0-0, 3.00). Arrieta is 2-1 in three career starts against Cincinnati, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning twice.