Eugenio Suarez delivered a two-run home run in the seventh inning to help the visiting Cincinnati Reds to a 4-2 win against the St. Louis Cardinals on Friday.
Starting pitcher Rhett Lowder allowed two runs on one hit and two walks, striking out four in five innings for the Reds, who have won three straight and five of their last seven games.
Suarez gave Cincinnati a 3-2 lead in the seventh inning off reliever George Soriano (3-3). Sal Stewart knocked a single to left field, and Suarez mashed a slider 435 feet to left-center for his 14th homer of the season.
The visitors added another in the top of the ninth. Elly De La Cruz drew a lead-off walk, stole second with Sal Stewart at the plate, moved to third on a wild pitch from rookie reliever Luis Gastelum and scored on Stewart’s single to make it 4-2.
The Reds opened the scoring in the top of the fourth. JJ Bleday connected for a lead-off single and, with two out, Tyler Stephenson belted a ground-rule double to right-center that bounced into the St. Louis bullpen, allowing Bleday to come around for a 1-0 lead.
The Cardinals had trouble getting runners on base, going out in order during each of the first three innings. Their first baserunner didn’t come until JJ Wetherholt walked to start the fourth.
They finally made contact in the fifth. Lowder caught Ivan Herrera with a sinker on the arm. Herrera then stole second with Lars Nootbaar at the plate and advanced to third when Nootbaar flied out to deep left. After Nathan Church walked, Blaze Jordan notched St. Louis’ first hit of the game with a double to left-center field, driving in both Herrera and Church to put the Cardinals ahead 2-1.
Reds reliever Julian Garcia (1-2) recorded the final out of the sixth inning, the only batter he’d face, to earn the win. Emilio Pagan was perfect in the ninth for the save.
Cardinals starter Dustin May was solid through six frames, fanning eight and holding the Reds to one run on seven hits.
–Field Level Media
