By MATT PIKE
Spencer Steer scored the winning run in the 11th inning with a headfirst slide on Blake Dunn's one-hopper to shortstop, and the Cincinnati Reds outlasted the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 to split their day-night doubleheader at Great American Ballpark.
After Jordan Walker scored on a sacrifice fly by Masyn Winn in the second inning to give the Cardinals a 1-0 lead, the Reds scored five runs in the fifth inning, first taking the lead on a three run home run by Elly De La Cruz, scoring P.J Higgins and Dunn, and Nathaniel Lowe extended the lead with a two-run shot, driving in Sal Stewart, as Cincinnati took a 5-1 lead in the inning.
St. Louis cut the lead to one in the sixth inning after Iván Herrera was hit by a pitch to start the inning and Alec Burleson doubled, before Walker hit a three run home run. In the bottom half of the inning, Cincinnati added an insurance run on an RBI double from Dane Myers scoring Steer to give the Reds a 6-4 lead.
The Cardinals managed to score twice in the ninth however to tie the game at 6-6, forcing extra innings, again thanks to Walker who hit a two out RBI single and tied it 6-all on a two-out RBI single, driving in Victor Scott II, following a leadoff home run to the inning by José Fermín, which cut the deficit to one.
After a scoreless 10th inning, and a scoreless top half to the 11th inning by the Cardinals, Steer was the automatic runner in the bottom half of the inning for the Reds, and he advanced from second to third on a sacrifice bunt by Higgins. After a walk to Myers put runners at the corners, Dunn sent a one-hopper up the middle. Despite the infield playing in, thee strong-armed shortstop Winn made a lunging stop to his left and a spinning throw to the plate, where catcher Yohel Pozo scooped the ball on a short hop. But he couldn't get his tag back down in time to get Steer, and a replay review upheld the safe call.
Riley O’Brien took the loss, falling to 3-2 on the season, despite getting four outs without giving up a hit. O'Brien pitched 1.1 innings striking out two and walking one. At the plate, Walker was 3-for-4 a triple shy of the cycle with a double, a home run, and four RBIs along with a walk. Burleson was 1-for-4 with a walk and a run scored.
St. Louis and Cincinnati wrap up their series on Sunday. Matthew Liberatore (2-2, 4.70 ERA, 43K's) takes the mound for the Cardinals against Brady Singer (2-4, 6.26 ERA, 34K's) for the Reds. First pitch is at 12:40pm, pregame at 12:30 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).
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