By MATT PIKE
The Cincinnati Reds snapped the St. Louis Cardinals three game winning streak, while also halting their own five game losing skid, taking the series finale at Great American Ball Park 7-4 on Sunday morning.
The Cardinals took the lead in the first inning, back to back singles by Lars Nootbaar and Iván Herrera opening the game, before Nootbaar later scored on a sacrifice fly by Nolan Gorman. An RBI single from Thomas Saggese scored Herrera to extend the St. Louis lead to 2-0 at the end of the first inning.
In the second inning, after Gavin Lux reached on a fielding error and Spencer Steer walked, an RBI single by Ke'Bryan Hayes cut the Cardinals lead to one as the Reds got onto the scoreboard. With two outs and the bases loaded, after Matt McLain walked, TJ Friedl singled driving in Steer and Hayes to give Cincinnati a 3-2 lead.
St. Louis knotted the game back up though in the third inning after Nootbaar led the inning off with a triple, and then scored on a sacrifice fly by Herrera. Nootbaar was ruled safe at the plate after a challenge, his foot touching the plate just ahead of a nearly perfect throw home by right fielder Noelvi Marte.
In the fifth inning the Reds took the lead back with Elly De La Cruz leading the inning off with a double, and then scoring on a two run home run by Austin Hays. In the seventh, Jimmy Crooks led off the inning for the Cardinals with his first major league home run, but in the bottom half Cincinnati got the run back on an RBI single by Hayes, scoring Hays.
In the bottom of the eighth inning, McLain led off the inning with a solo home run for the final run of the game.
Andre Pallante took the loss for the Cardinals, falling to 6-13 on the season, giving up five runs, two earned, on six hits through five innings while walking four and striking out six. At the plate, Nootbaar was 2-for-4 with a triple and two runs scored. Crooks was 1-for-4 with the home run and an RBI. St. Louis batters struck out 15 times against Reds pitchers, with former Royal Brady Singer getting eight strkeouts as the Reds starter.
St. Louis will return to Busch Stadium tomorrow to host the Athletics. Sonny Gray (12-7, 4.19 ERA) takes the mound for the Cardinals against Luis Morales (2-0, 1.19 ERA) for the Athletics. First pitch is at 1:15pm, coverage will be joined around 1:05 on KY 102 (102.5 FM).
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