Eugenio Suarez's late homer lifts Reds over Cardinals
Eugenio Suarez delivered a two-run homer in the seventh inning to help the visiting Cincinnati Reds earn 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 past 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 leadoff walk, stole second with 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 fourth. JJ Bleday connected for a leadoff single. With two outs, Spencer Steer walked before 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' first baserunner didn't come until JJ Wetherholt walked to start the fourth inning.
St. Louis finally broke through in the fifth. Lowder caught Ivan Herrera with a sinker on the arm. Herrera then stole second and advanced to third when Lars Nootbaar flied out to deep left. After Nathan Church drew a two-out walk, 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 faced, to earn the win. Emilio Pagan was perfect in the ninth for his 10th save.
Cardinals starter Dustin May was solid through six frames, fanning eight and holding the Reds to one run on seven hits and a walk.
--Field Level Media